The Rainbow Writers Season Seven- Episode 7: Present
by rainbowwriters
Summary: Officially the seventh story in our Season Seven series of Buffy. Re-posting old stories.


COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER: Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Willow, Tara, Xander, Anya, Giles, Dawn, Spike and all other characters who have appeared in the syndicated series Buffy The Vampire Slayer, together with the names, titles and back story are the sole copyright property of Joss Wheldon, Fox and Mutant Enemy. No copyright infringement was intended in the writing of this fan fiction. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the authors. This story cannot be sold or used for profit in any way. Please contact the authors for permission to reproduce this story on any other fanfiction site.

LOVE/ GRAPHIC SEX DISCLAIMER: This story depicts a love relationship between two consenting adult women. If you are under 18 years of age or if this type of story is illegal in the state or country in which you live, please do not read it. If depictions of this nature disturb you, you may wish to read something other than this story. (Please note this may not apply until much further parts but it will be an integral part of the storyline.)

TIMEFRAME: Season Seven done Rainbow Writers Style… we are taking all that has aired up until Grave as gospel and working with what the bad evil Josh has given us… the difference WE LOVE WILLOW AND TARA… so we're going to fic all the horribleness… the theme is still "Back to the Beginning" as hinted at… but with a total focus on fixing what was done to our gorgeous lovely couple.

PAIRING: Willow and Tara… obviously!

BIG GIANT HUGE ANGST/UNHAPPINESS DISCLAIMER: So if you've seen season six… you know… ME sucks… they took us all down a road we never wanted to go… but now we have to get back… so the ride will be bumpy… but we promise this time the light… its daylight and NOT a train!

WORK OF THE RAINBOW WRITERS WARNING! … If you know our stuff you know we can OWN pain and suffering when we want too… stock up: tissues, chocolate, have loved ones near… we're going to get to a happy place but we're not going to gloss over the damage ME has done.

YELLOW CRAYON XANDER WARNING: In the vein of trying to be nice… we've decided its time for Xander to clean up some of his act and take on some responsibility… no he's not turning into super Xander, but maybe a more respectable guy.

Episode 7.7

 **Present**

 **By: The Rainbow Writers**

Giles' rang the doorbell and waited patiently for someone to open the door. He carefully balanced the cardboard tray hoping to keep the two teas and other more elaborate speciality coffee from spilling anymore than they had on the drive over.

The door swung boldly open and in the Summers' hallway stood Tara. She was wearing a burgundy skirt with a floral top. Her long blonde hair looked recently cut and she smiled in a way that brightened her whole face.

"Good afternoon." Giles smiled back at her.

"Mr. Giles." Tara beamed. "Come in." She stepped back out of the way.

"I have that coffee you like, oh and tea for Madalene if she's home." Giles explained as he went into the living room.

"She is, we weren't expecting you around until much later." Tara gingerly took the coffee sniffing it, her smiling never dimming.

"Well I thought perhaps it would be best to come see you both while Buffy was at the hospital with Willow." The Watcher relayed as he laid down the tray on the coffee table.

"Why?" She asked softly sinking into the chair, for the first time since his arrival Tara's smile dimmed slightly.

"Perhaps we could find Madalene and then I can explain, I can assure you Tara it's nothing to be worried about." Giles noticed the change in her demeanour immediately.

"She's in the basement. I won't be a moment." Tara nodded and let herself smile again.

Slipping out the blonde jogged through and down the stairs into the basement.

"Mads!" She called brightly.

"Yes?" As Tara reached the bottom of the stairs the Spellcaster pulled back the long length of navy silk that acted as a doorway to her room and smiled at Tara. "Do you need help with the salmon?"

"No, no. Mr. Giles is here, he wants to talk to us." Tara hung on the steps leaning a little on the stair rail.

"Oh." Madalene leaned back in to put the book she was reading down before she came out into the small hallway that existed down the stairs towards the washing machine. "You know cousin you could have just called me." She tapped the side of her head smiling.

"Called... oh!" Tara giggled. *I forget.* Her bright thought resonated in Madalene's head.

*It's okay.* Madalene reached the stairs and followed her back up. *You were the one who wanted to test the distance ratio we could maintain.* She teased.

*I'm worse that a child with a new walkie talkie aren't I?* Tara giggled softly as she held the top door open.

*No more than me.* Madalene passed by and into the living room. "Afternoon Mr. Giles." She sat down smiling at him.

"So what don't I have to be worrying about?" Tara asked as she retook her seat and cradled her coffee taking frequent sniffs of the aromatic liquid.

"Well as you know I've been speaking with the Council about both of your very unique positions in the world." Giles began diplomatically holding up the tray to give Madalene her tea that she received gratefully. Tara nodded and actually took a sip of her coffee. "This is rather a delicate topic but as you must be aware with today's climate there are certain intricate issues of identity that become troublesome when a person faces unusual circumstances such as you both do." He reached into his interior coat pocket and pulled out two envelopes. "Which is why I wanted to bring you both these." He handed Tara the thicker of the two and then gave the other to the Spellcaster.

*Hope its not a love letter.* Tara glanced quickly at Madalene as she reached out and took the envelope with a snigger.

*You're bad.* Madalene giggled back as she put down her tea.

Showing his slight nervousness, Giles waited for them to open the packages before he continued. The blonde turned the thick envelope over and slid her finger under the seal.

"I feel like it's my birthday or something." Tara admitted trying to cut the tension.

"Which is coming up I hear." Madalene slipped the envelope she had been given open and pulled out a crisp document and the three plastic cards that were inside. Her looked went puzzled as she turned over the two of them.

"Yes." Tara looked up with a brief nod as she eased the thick wad of documents and cards inside her envelope out onto her lap.

"I don't remember taking a driving test." She looked down at the smiling picture of herself looking back off the Californian license.

Tara watched her cousin for a moment not looking at the collection on her own lap.

"Yes, well though you've already secured a passport and certain other documentation for yourself the Council noticed several holes in your identity. The birth certificate, social security card and the driver's license seemed the best ways to further trouble shoot any discrepancies." He nodded to the collection. "With you Tara they realised the necessity of a full set of documents. I hope you don't mind the slight alterations they had to make."

Giles' words were the key for Tara to focus on her own delivery. She looked down and lightly flicked through the papers on her knee.

"I suggested to them that Slean would be suitable due to your connection with Madalene." The Watcher offered softly.

"Mr. Giles..." Tara looked up her eyes a little teary. "Thank you." She whispered, running her finger over and over the top sheet of paper. She turned it slightly and held it up to Madalene. "We're related." She said softly.

"We are." Madalene held up the birth certificate smiling brightly.

"I have a life." Tara smiled almost a bewildered smile. "It's real isn't it?" She looked around almost expecting everything to disappear.

"That should encompass everything you need Tara. A valid American passport, birth certificate, social security, driver's license and a transcript documenting the courses you'd taken at another University that will equate out to those you had taken at UC Sunnydale."

Giles explained more.

"I don't know how to thank you." Tara looked at the Watcher.

"It's nothing, it's the least that could be done." Giles shook his head to the sentiment. "There is one other thing for both of you." He reached back into his pockets and pulled out two other passports. "The Council would also like you to have these." He more reluctantly handed them over.

"What are they?" Tara took one.

"Apparently we're British." Madalene had flipped open the burgundy cover to see her face and information on the third page.

"Dual Citizenship." Giles corrected.

"But I've never been to England, I don't think." Tara wrinkled her nose up slightly. "Have I?" She checked.

"The Council wanted to foresee any possible problems in the future that might occur with you two travelling there." The Watcher shook his head to her question. "Also it permits you to work or study without the requirement of further investigation that could be troublesome."

"That's very kind of them." Tara smiled still looking slightly confused. "But I think coming back from the undead is enough of a trip for me for now."

"This is where our conversation grows a bit tetchy." Giles sat back. "The Council is rather anxious to extend its hospitality to both of you."

"Tetchy." Tara giggled softly. "Mr. Giles you are so British."

"Hey so are we." Madalene laughed waving her British passport.

"Why would extending their hospitality to us make things awkward?" Tara asked softly. "It's a very polite and lovely thing to do."

"I think he means they want us to come so that they can study us." The Spellcaster caught on a little more quickly.

"Not study, nothing so clinical. They would just like to further there understanding of your heritage and the powers that it brings." Giles tried to defend them without truly defending them.

"What?" Tara's blue eyes flared open and turned to stare at Giles. "Like lab rats?" She squeaked almost ironically considering her words.

"No." He shook his head. "They merely wish to understand." He offered softly.

"What can we tell them when we don't understand it ourselves?" Madalene questioned folding up the papers and tucking them back into the envelope.

"Mr. Giles, if we have to some how 'pay' for these…" Tara held up a few of the papers in her lap. "By letting the council 'examine us' I think I would rather hand them back right now."

"The papers are yours to keep either way. I think perhaps they felt it would make your decision in the future easier." He held up his hand. "Tara, I did relay to them that currently you're priority is here with Willow and I believe that they understand that. They seemed to want more to impress upon both of you that there would be great benefit in the future if your heritage could be better understood. There are people and texts they can offer to assist in that uncovering, when you are both ready."

Tara looked at the Watcher for a moment and then her blue eyes softened again her mouth warming into a smile.

*Tara, if it's going to get you what you need I'll go see them.* Madalene looked at her cousin. *The main thing is keeping you safe, the documents help do that.*

*No.* Tara's reply was quick and precise. "You don't want us to go do you Mr. Giles." She asked of the Englishman pointedly but in a gentle understanding tone.

"I have no reason to object to..." Giles straightened his tie before pulling off his glasses. "You're place is here with Willow, where you want to be." He conceded. "Your Heritage has existed for thousands of years, a few more won't delay any great discovers I'm sure."

"Well maybe Willow and I will retire to England, when we're oh, say, sixty five." Tara thanked Giles for his honesty.

"I would hope I might get everyone there on vacation long before that." He relaxed again slipping his glasses back on.

"And we are British now." Madalene added laughing lightly.

"I'll never get away with the accent." Tara shook her head. "Oh my There's Tara." She attempted laughing.

Giles couldn't help but smile tenderly at the pair, truly no matter what the future held the present was certainly bright.

A few hours later the kitchen of the house was a flurry of activity and clouded with various yummy smells as the two Slean cousins worked on preparing a celebratory feast. Of course they'd planned on a big meal if only because it was Willow's big day at the Doctor's, but now they had something else to celebrate.

"You should so learn to duck." Tara laughed harder as she watched the Spellcaster wiping chocolate cake batter off the front of her apron. A perfectly aim splatter from her mixing spoon had caught her cousin completely unaware. She turned and pushed the wooden spoon around the mixing bowl for a final time before tipping the last of the mixture into the cake tin.

"I would have if I had expected you to actually throw it at me." Madalene laughed wiping at the stain. "Though you so better be ready for retaliation." She dropped the dirty cloth into the sink when she was finished.

"Oh what you going to do couz?" Tara licked a chocolate covered finger eyeing the pans to make sure they were even.

"You never know." Madalene wiggled her eyebrows.

"I can't remember feeling this happy for so long." Tara admitted as she carefully carried the baking trays to the oven.

"Me either." Madalene agreed easily.

"I woke up this morning and I knew that Willow had her appointment, Dawnie had that math test and Mr. Giles was due back from England but I still felt okay." Tara nodded. "I mean very worried, about Willow especially, but…" She paused as she closed the oven door. "But okay."

"Tara, you don't have to quantify how much you worry about Willow to me." Madalene leaned against the counter and shook her head. "And it's okay to feel okay, especially when lots of stuff is going on around you. Everyone has..."

"I love her so much Madalene." The blonde interrupted.

"Maybe you won't be a Slean for very long." She teased letting the more serious vein of the conversation drop away.

"What?" Tara blinked at her cousin and then shook her head. "Oh don't be silly." She laughed lightly. "Willow wouldn't want to..." She turned and put the mixing bowl in the sink.

"It's not silly." The Spellcaster shook her head. "And you know you both would."

"Oh stop it." Tara felt her cheeks burn slightly. "We have school and things to think about first." She turned on the tap slightly to clean out the bowl.

"There will always be things Tara, don't put off something like marriage just for that." Madalene commented her voice a little too serious. "Besides Dawn would love to be in a wedding party where she didn't have to wear a green dress and fight off full demons." She went back to the fridge.

"Madalene." Tara turned back to face her cousin and looked at her slightly curiously for a moment.

"Yes?" She didn't turn as she opened the fridge and moved stuff around inside as if searching for something.

"Are you okay?" She asked gently.

"A little chocolate covered but I'm fine." The Spellcaster turned back with three bars of chocolate they had hidden in the back from the Slayer, knowing Buffy's affinity for chocolate the covert manoeuvre was necessary to ensure they had what they needed for their baking. "I was just thinking I should get this melted to make the decorations for your cake."

"We should." Tara moved over to beside the Spellcaster. "You do know that you can talk to me, about anything don't you?" She said softly taking the bars from her.

"I know, you can as well I hope you know that." Madalene nodded as she put her hands on the counter when they were empty.

"I do." Tara nodded also.

"I guess they should be back soon." Madalene looked to the time on the microwave subtly changing the focus of the conversation.

"Yes." Tara glanced over at the clock as she put the chocolate down and rubbed her hands together. "I'm getting nervous."

"Tara, there is nothing to worry about. Willow has been doing fantastic for over a month, the doctor is bound to recognise that the change is permanent now." The Spellcaster reassured her. "And if she didn't Buffy is just about fed up enough to spell it out for her." She laughed lightly. "I think she wants Willow off the meds almost as much as Willow does."

"I just want them to do it so that Willow feels that she's in control of her life again." Tara explained her motivation. "She's doing so well, I just want them to acknowledge that."

"Have faith, I think today is going to be a good day." Madalene assured her.

"Says the Californian girl." Tara grinned. "Or is that the London gal?" She added in her very bad accent.

"Just the Maddy." The Spellcaster laughed at her attempt.

"They've been a long time." Tara glanced nervously at the clock again as she began breaking up the chocolate and putting into a small Pyrex bowl.

"Who's a long time?" Willow called from the doorway her face obscured behind a large bouquet of flowers.

"The florist apparently." Tara turned to the doorway with a smile.

"Well who could blame her when it takes me hours to decide." Willow bounced in and handed Tara the flowers. "For you."

"Thank you." Tara took them with a smile and gently breathed in their delicate smell.

"Did you trade Buffy for flowers?" Madalene teased taking over dealing with the chocolate.

"She tried but apparently the flowers were worth more." The Slayer's voice came from the door as she entered carrying a large bag of dog food.

"I know someone whose going to love you." Madalene laughed as she watched Buffy put the bag down.

"Wanna come out to the car to help me with the shopping Mads?" Buffy motioned her head back to the door behind her.

"Sure." The Spellcaster put down the chocolate and took off her apron as she followed Buffy.

"That wasn't very subtle." Tara looked up at the closing door as she gently placed the flowers down on the island and turned to back to her girlfriend.

"Buffy's not great with the subtle." Willow shrugged.

"Hug." Tara opened her arms.

"Please." Willow moved forward into them and wrapped her arms around Tara's back.

"Missed you." Tara kissed Willow's head gently. The redhead stayed there for a moment with her eyes closed breathing in the warmth and security that surrounded her.

"Missed you too." Willow nodded tilting her mouth closer to Tara's ear. "It's going to take two months to come off them but I get to start." She whispered softly.

"Oh Goddess Willow." Tara felt tears spring to her eyes and trickle down her cheek as she held the redhead tighter. "Oh God I love you."

"I love you too." Willow hugged tighter as well. "I have to start more therapy sessions and some sorta behavioural cognitive thingie thing at the hospital twice a week but its nothing we can't do right?"

"Absolutely." Tara eased back a little and looked into green eyes. "I'll come with you." She added with a smile.

"I would love that baby but you can't remember?" Willow blinked and gave a soft headshake.

"Remind me again why I can't?" Tara bit her lip slightly.

"You get sickly tummy in the backseat of taxi's?" Willow offered light-heartedly.

"Or I could drive you?" Tara released her lip and smiled as she slid her hand into her skirt pocket and pulled out her driver's licence holding it up at eye height for the redhead.

"Tara..." Willow squeaked reading the name. "Slean?" She ended on more of a confused note.

"I couldn't be Maclay, Mr. Giles felt this would be…" She paused. "Fitting." She finished. "I have a life."

"No, of course..." Willow shook her head. "Look at you, so cute." She leaned in to hug her again.

"I look goofy and my ear sticks out." Tara pointed out laughing softly as they hugged.

"But you're allowed to drive." Willow giggled. "Today is such a great day."

"You're supposed to assure me that I don't and it doesn't." Tara laughed more. "But yes it is." She agreed softly.

"You are beautiful, you know I think that." Willow pulled back and smiled. "Absolutely gorgeous." She leaned in and kissed her girlfriend softly.

"So how many pills can we stop?" Tara asked eagerly.

"Here let me show you the outline." Willow reached her hand back to pull the carefully folded paper out of her pocket.

"BUFFY! BUFFY!" Dawn's voice squeaked as the front door slammed open and the teenager hurried in with Midnight bounding beside her.

A cold hard draught of early evening air accompanied her until she had the where with all to push the door closed once more calling out for her sister. She signalled for the large Labrador to sit in the hallway, which Midnight did happily.

"Dawn?" The Slayer came out of the dining room.

"Midnight ate a bug." Dawn looked at her sister with eyes wide before turning to stare at the dog that tipped her head looking a little mystified at what was going on with them.

"Uh huh?" Buffy leaned against the doorframe.

"No, it was a big bug." Dawn stretched her fingers wide.

"Demonic bug?" The possibility got the Slayer's attention.

"Maybe." The teenager frowned. "It was black. Black is evil."

"What did it look like Dawn? And no officially black is not evil." Buffy moved over to the dog bending down to inspect her for anything out of the ordinary.

"It was black and had a shiny back. She got it off Mrs. Bangsby's hedge." The teenager added.

"A beetle?" The Slayer rubbed the dog's snout.

"Might have been a beetle." Dawn bit her lip.

"Dawn, dogs eat stuff all the time. It's fine." Buffy assured her.

"But she didn't chew it, she just gulped it down, it might choke her." The teenager wouldn't be convinced.

"We'll just watch her to make sure she doesn't puke or anything. Vomit watch for you Midnight." She rubbed the dog's head. "Dawn she's fine, look at her." The dog leaned in happily wagging her tail as the Slayer fussed her.

"Can she sleep in my room so I can watch her?" Dawn asked bending down beside the large dog stroking her head.

"Yes, but this is the last time." Buffy scowled at them both. "She has a perfectly nice dog bed in the hallway that I don't think she's ever slept in."

"Thanks Buffy you're the greatest." Dawn pushed up and hugged Buffy briefly. "How did Willow do and do I smell chocolate cake?" She eased back and pulled off her jacket.

"Yes and great, she gets to start lowering the meds." Buffy smiled happily.

"That's so cool, are we going out to celebrate?" She turned and hung her jacket up.

"No, Tara and Mads made a big dinner." Buffy filled her in. "And I got more dog food so feed Midnight and then you can help set the table."

"Oh okay, but I need to change first. I have dog joggers." She lifted her leg for Buffy to sniff. "She went into the pond again."

"Ewwwww. You're going to have to bath her after dinner." Buffy frowned down at the dog. "What did I tell you about ponds and swimming?" She looked down into big dark eyes.

"It was just her legs." Dawn objected.

"Go get cleaned up." Buffy motioned and the dog went up the stairs waiting part way up for Dawn to join her.

"Is Xander home yet?" The teenager asked as she hurried after Midnight.

"No, I think he's working late." Buffy offered the guess.

"You should call him he cant miss the celebration dinner." She pointed out. "Come on Midnight." She whispered in the dog's ear as she hurried past.

"I'll try his cell." Buffy headed towards the phone in the living room. Quickly she punched in the familiar numbers and waited.

"I'm going home and am not hammering another nail, nor rubbing out another line on the blue print Mac, go away." Xander replied almost instantly.

"Good because you're about to miss salmon and homemade chocolate cake." Buffy snapped back playfully.

"Oh Bufster, you know just what to say to a guy." He laughed back as he realised who it was.

"No, I'm single remember." She shook her head. "So are you coming home?"

"I'm kinda in the door." The carpenter's voice grew louder as the front door eased open.

"Perfect." Buffy hung up the phone.

"So salmon and chocolate cake, I'm thinking Will got good news?" Xander stripped off his coat and hung it up.

"She gets to start dropping the meds." Buffy nodded.

"What a great day." Xander punched the air slightly in victory.

"All I need is there to be a lot of easy slaying and it's almost perfect." Buffy agreed looking out to the darkening sky.

"Ah but first there has to be much food and merrymaking." Xander grinned. "Then can come the slaying of the undead."

"Come on warriors, everything is almost ready." Madalene came by carrying a covered basket though the covering didn't keep the smell of fresh bread from permeating everything as she passed.

"Wow it smells good." Xander sniffed loudly.

"I try." Madalene laughed.

"So where's the Watcher? I don't see tweed." Xander sat himself down at the dining room table and he pulled out his napkin, tucking it into his shirt.

"His life called again and he was needed elsewhere." Madalene put the basket down.

"Well notice as everyone relaxes a little bit more." He pulled out the napkin and screwed it up putting on the table near his plate.

"Behave you." Madalene warned. "I'll be back with the veggies."

"Oh Midnight, look she got the one you love, it's the crunchy kind with extra meaty bits." Dawn's voice giggled as she hurried through into the kitchen diving on the new bag of food. "Hi Xander." She called as she ran.

"Just another fine day in the Summers, Rosenberg, Slean and Harris family eh." Xander leaned back in his chair with a wide grin.

"You know that is never going to fit on the mailbox." Buffy laughed as she sat down at the head of the table.

"Don't forget Maclay." Dawn huffed as she came back through carrying the dog's bowl while Midnight trotted behind.

"Actually it's Slean." Tara appeared from the top step of the basement. She'd slipped down into Madalene's room to get dressed so that her outfit was a surprise to Willow. She had been planning to make this evening as special as she could and now with the wonderful news about Willow's medication she was hoping that it would help show the redhead just how proud she was of her.

"It is?" Buffy looked over at her confused.

Tara nodded as she moved into the room. She could see them all looking over her outfit as she came closer, the cream layered dress had a fitted bodice and a flowing skirt with many layers of tissue paper thin silk filling out over it.

"Mr. Giles dropped off papers earlier. I'm officially Tara Slean." She did a little twirl and bowed slightly.

"Wow sexy Slean sisters." Xander grinned at her outfit having really not heard much of what she had said.

"Xander!" Buffy slapped his thigh.

"Cousins." Madalene corrected as she came back in carrying something else for dinner.

"Midnight can eat her supper in here right?" Dawn put the bowl down over by the china cabinet.

"Dinner for the whole family, so of course." Madalene assured the teenager. "But you should put the doggie place mat we got down for her just in case she spills."

"Do you need a hand in the kitchen?" Tara asked tucking a stray blonde curl behind her ear. It had taken some time but she had most of her long hair in ringlets.

"No, sit, I've got it covered." Madalene encouraged her. "Willow should be down soon."

"Okay." Tara smiled she eased herself down on the nearest chair, filling anxious for the redhead to see her.

Trying to keep himself busy, Xander fished in his pocket and finally finding a lighter he lit the candles on the table.

"So Giles got you papers?" Buffy quirked an eyebrow.

"Everything I could ever need." Tara nodded. "Even a bank account."

"With a big balance?" Xander teased easing back to sit when the candles were lit.

"Xander, second warning." The Slayer slapped his thigh lightly again.

"You could have had Summers." Dawn sat down on the chair nearest the dog. 

"I think Slean is good, gives you and Madalene a bond." Buffy pointed out.

"I think Mr. Giles was thinking along those lines." Tara agreed with the Slayer.

"And we've already got two Summers Girls." Xander winked at Dawn.

"Hey did we want music at dinner I have..." Willow wandered into the dining room and held up a CD case as her eyes came up to rest on the blonde ringlets that framed her girlfriend's face. "Tara." She whispered her eyes wide.

Tara turned her head at the sound of Willow's voice instantly seeing that she had become the redhead's sole centre of attention.

"Smack my leg." Xander looked from the redhead to Buffy. Without asking for further explanation Buffy reached out and slapped his leg again hard. "Yes Willow, it's official your girlfriend is drop dead sexy." He winced at the contact but finally got to make his comment.

"She is." Willow blushed as she was mesmerised by blue eyes. "More than."

Tara pushed up from her chair and moved over to Willow, she boldly draped her arm around Willow's slender neck and kissed her cheek.

"Baby, you look beautiful." Willow whispered slipping her hands around Tara's waist. She could hardly believe how incredibly sexy and beautiful the blonde did look. She hadn't quite gone so dressy as she had on a pair of dark jean overalls and a tight velvet green v-neck.

"Nothing more than you deserve." Tara said very quietly kissing Willow's cheek again.

"I love you." Willow couldn't think of any other way to answer as she leaned in to kiss her lightly on the lips.

"It's hot in here, is it hot in here?" Xander coughed and picked up his napkin fanning himself.

"Don't make me smack you again." Buffy warned in a low tone.

"Oh food!" Dawn sat up in her chair as she caught movement and knew the Spellcaster was coming back from the kitchen. "We should eat."

"Yes salmon." Madalene came in carrying the big platter filled with the large fish. "I hope everyone is hungry."

"Oh yeah I'm with the salivating." Xander nodded as he held out his hands for the dish.

Dinner had been an excited affair, with conversations overlapping one another and everyone ravishing up all that the Slean cousins had cooked for them.

"Xander if you eat anymore you're going to explode." Buffy scowled as the carpenter began stuffing his third helping of cake into his mouth.

"But it's chocolate cake." Xander argued pointing to the demolished desert. "If I don't eat it now I'll never get the chance again."

"You said that about the salmon." Buffy pointed out.

"Even the broccoli." Willow laughed.

"It was great green stuff." Xander pointed at his empty plate. "Not as good as the chocolate, but good."

"Well I'm just glad everyone enjoyed." Madalene pointed out as she stood up to start collecting the dishes.

"I'll get the dishes, you cooked." Dawn pushed up form her place.

"Yeah Xander, you didn't cook either." Buffy prompted him.

"Yeah true, but before we worry about the dishes." He rubbed his hands on his pants and coughed slightly. "I have things to say."

"Things?" Madalene sat back down.

"Yeah." He nodded and reached out and took his glass of white wine. "First of all I want to propose a toast to Willow."

"Oh yes." Tara nodded reaching for her glass of water. Willow picked up her supplement drink and everyone picked up what they were drinking as well.

"Well done Will, " Xander said proudly.

"Thank you." The redhead smiled.

After everyone had sipped their drinks, Xander opened his mouth to continue but Dawn interrupted at just the right time.

"I just wanted to tell everyone, not that I'm trying to steal anyone's moment of glory or anything." She flustered slightly. "But I only got seven wrong on my math test."

"That's fantastic Dawn." Madalene encouraged holding up her glass.

"They're thinking I might go into an advanced math when the new school opens."

Dawn beamed proudly.

"That's great Dawn." Buffy turned and gave her sister a special smile.

"Again with the none stealing of thunder." Xander glanced at Dawn. "But…" He swallowed again. "I'm gonna be moving out." He looked down briefly and wiped his hands on his pants a second time.

"You are?" Willow piped in anxiously. "Is it cause we're crowded, cause we could build an addition or or..."

"No, it's not that." Xander shook his head and everyone held their breath waiting impatiently. "It's... well An and I... We're not mended or anything, but we're better. And we need, she needs to see that I'm ready for this, for an us, so I need to show her I can be serious."

"By moving out?" Buffy questioned not quite understanding his reasoning.

"I rented an apartment." He nodded. "Its two bedrooms, you guys can some stay any time and so can she with no pressure. I'm trying the mature guy thing."

Everyone seemed a bit stunned by the news and the silence lingered on for a long few moments.

"That's fantastic news Xander." Madalene finally piped in slowly standing up and moving over to give him a congratulatory hug. "I'm sure it's a very mature apartment."

"Well not so much, but it has cable and a great fridge." Xander gave a boyish smile.

"Just wait till we all help you decorate." She encouraged looking back at everyone.

"It's great." Willow reluctantly encouraged. "You'll have to show us."

"It should have purple. In the spare room." Dawn put in her two cents.

"Do you all think I'm crazy?" Xander asked honestly.

"No, of course we don't... just..." Buffy looked at him. "We didn't see it coming."

"But you're not all thinking dumb Xander?" He frowned.

"No, come here you big lug." Buffy got up and gave him a hug, which Xander gratefully accepted, it meant a lot to him that she approved. "Is this why Anya couldn't come to dinner?" She teased him. "Leaving you to make your big announcement."

"Yeah." Xander looked at the floor. "And I wanted you guys to be the first to know. For obvious reasons."

"I think we need extra celebrations." Dawn pointed out. "Say Bronzing?"

"It's a school night." Buffy pounced on the teenager's idea.

"It's so early, I can come home by like eleven. I never go to sleep before then." Dawn argued.

"You feeling up to a Bronze trip sweetie?" Tara reached and stroked her hand over Willow's arm.

"Mmmm I do, if you do." Willow didn't want to disagree and ruin any support for Xander's big life choice.

"I should get changed." The blonde smiled and glanced at her dress.

"No!" Willow jumped immediately to shoot that idea down. "You look beautiful." She underlined again.

"Sounds like we're heading out to the Bronze." Buffy smiled at them all. "Dawn, make sure Midnight's got all she needs."

The Bronze had been fairly empty when they all first arrived, but slowly the club had started to fill up as the night went on. Nestled away close to the pool tables, Madalene held her water in one hand and absently held the straw in the other as she took small sips and watched the hustle and bustle around them. In an apparently innocent coincidence Dawn had found some of her friends were already at the club and was off enjoying her night dancing with them. A few feet away from the table Buffy and Xander were having a rather light-hearted game of pool with Willow and Tara.

The music was a steady mix of current hits and retro, provided by a DJ who had taken over the stage in lieu of a band.

"Er, excuse me, I didn't want to interrupt your game of pool." With a slight cough a polite male voice interrupted the action at the table. "But I just wanted to say hi."

"You wanted too..." Buffy turned not sure what she expected but as she came face to face with the helpful young man who had been there to carry Madalene during the unfortunately 'drunk night' the month before she was surprised.

"You probably don't remember me." He smiled as he looked at Buffy.

"Oh I do." She caught herself. "How are you?" She tried to lower the pool cue she had been gripping like a weapon without looking too obvious.

"I'm good, and you?" He smiled apparently relieved he'd been recognised.

"Great, just playing pool." She remarked rather stupidly. "Obviously." She laughed.

"That'll be the stick in your hand." He nodded. "You could have been rehearsing for javelin throwing or something." He grinned.

"Olympic trials are coming up." She grinned back.

"Can I get you all a drink?" He looked up and around the group.

"We're all pretty much doing the water thing." Buffy explained not wanting to turn him down outright.

"Water is a drink." He pointed out. "I'm Christian by the way." He extended his hand to Xander.

"Hey... Xander." The carpenter reached out and gave it a good firm shake.

"You want to buy us water?" She questioned feeling herself smile.

"Well sure, if your boyfriend here doesn't mind." Christian smiled charmingly between Xander and Buffy.

"Oh Xander, no see that's Xander, not my boyfriend." Buffy shook her head. "He's with a friend of mine, who isn't here, but no not mine." She flustered.

"Got the picture." Christian smiled at her. "So water all around then?" He motioned in a small circle.

"Here why don't I help you." She handed the pool cue off to Xander who to her relief didn't say anything else. "And I'm Buffy." She reminded him not sure if she'd ever told him her name now that she thought of it.

"Yes I got that much last time." The young man reminded her. "You're friend looks better." He continued as he led Buffy away to the bar.

"Yes, no more alcohol. You were right about her Ketchum, she was grumpy for a week till she got it even again." Buffy glanced back at Madalene who seemed busy crowd watching.

"Being a witch isn't all star dust and naked dancing." He chuckled.

"Do you practice?" She looked at him. "The witchcraft that is."

"Me?" He shook his head. "Not a chance, I'd rather leave that to the people with the talent and the skill. You?"

"Me... No." Buffy shook her head. "So you have a lot of friends that practice?" She felt herself sliding into Slayer inquisition mode.

"And all this before you've asked me my favourite colour and what music I like." Christian laughed softly.

"Sorry." She apologised knowing how she could get.

"It's alright and yes I do have a number of friends trained in the craft." He shook his head to her worry.

"Should I slide into the favourite colour and music questions now?" Buffy smiled as he gave their order to the bartender.

Xander watched as after many attempts Willow finally managed to sink the last ball on the table. After Buffy's departure he'd been going up against the two of them.

"I think we should give up the table, it's getting crowded." Willow put her cue in the rack.

"I don't want to be a party stopper but should we be getting Dawn home?" Tara glanced over to where the teenager was having brief respite from dancing.

"Probably." Xander nodded. "Despite her happy go get them demeanour she's scary in the morning if she's overtired." He put his cue into the rack with Willow's.

"Anyone want to volunteer to get Buffy?" Tara smiled and nodded to where Buffy and Christian were stood still chatting at the bar.

"He's cute, maybe we should leave them." Willow came over and hugged Tara from behind.

"But there's patrol." Tara leaned her head onto Willow's lightly. "You think he's cute?" She added with a pouty frown.

"Not for me, for Buffy." Willow underlined.

"We can take patrol, she's already taken out three here in the Bronze. So good night." Xander piped in.

"With Dawnie with us? Buffy wouldn't like that." Tara shook her head.

"What are the serious faces for?" Madalene had stood up and walked the short distance to join them.

"It's home time, but there is patrol, and Buffy's…" Tara paused and glanced over at the Slayer who was laughing heartily at something Christian had said. "Happy." She assessed smiling at the sight.

"Well Xander and I can do patrol after walking the three of you home." Madalene glanced over her shoulder and then turned back to Tara.

"Great idea." Xander nodded.

*Madalene!* Tara tried not to scowl as she pressed the thought into her cousin's mind. *Patrol can be dangerous.*

*I know, Buffy's been teaching me a lot.* The Spellcaster reported confidently.

*But...*

"I'll go get the Dawnmiester." Xander turned and began walking towards the teenager.

*Let her be happy.* The Spellcaster glanced back at the Slayer.

*If you need me, get me.* Tara insisted as she reluctantly agreed to the idea.

Moments later the teenager came back over with Xander, wearing a heavy pout.

"But Xander, I can go to school with them in the morning. Willow tell him?" She whined. "Please, look this is me begging." She cupped her hands together and batted long eyelashes at the carpenter.

"Home time Dawnie." Xander shook his head.

"But I can go home with them, Sofia said she has a pull out couch with my name on it." She tried again.

"You're getting a special escort." The redhead pointed out.

"If you go home now then we'll be able to convince your sister that maybe eleven o'clock curfew on school nights could work." Madalene walked closer and leaned in whispering as she tried to persuade the teenager.

"I'll grab my stuff." Dawn beamed and darted back to her group of friends.

"We should tell Buffy we're going." Tara looked at her lover.

"Who's getting that honour?" Xander hung back.

"Mmmm you're all chickens." Willow laughed kissing Tara's cheek and moving through the crowd. "Buffy?" She interrupted as gently as she could. The Slayer calmed down from her latest round of laughing and looked at Willow.

"Oh, oh I'm sorry, I'm bring the drinks really." She apologised. "We just got talking, and laughing." She glanced frequently at Christian.

"No, no worries. We're all heading home. Xander and Madalene are going to drop us off and then take care of that thing." Willow wiggled her eyebrows lightly.

"Oh right good." She nodded, but then stopped. "They are?" She frowned quickly. "Can they do that?"

"If you need to go…" Christian began politely.

"They seem to think they can." Willow smiled. "We're going to take Dawnie home too, so we'll see you later?"

"Do you need me?" Buffy glanced between her best friend and the tall young man stood beside her.

"No, we're fine." Willow assured her. "You two have a nice evening." She smiled and turned to go back to Tara.

"That was Willow right?" Christian asked as the redhead backed away.

"Yes, her girlfriend is Tara the blonde and my sister is there with Madalene." Buffy named everyone for him again.

"The blond with ringlets is Tara, the tall one is your little sister and Madalene your friend the witch. I think I have that now." He summed up everyone.

"Exactly, so who are you here with?" Buffy used the easy bridge for the question.

"Myself." Christian admitted. "I kinda had a bad day, needed to get lost in a crowd, you know."

"I definitely know that feeling." Buffy nodded.

"So you want to dance?" He offered with a smile as a fast song filled the club with infectious music.

"That would be nice." Buffy put her water down and let him lead her out onto the dance floor.

Madalene kept her hands folded over with the stake hidden in her jacket. She almost found it amusing how Xander seemed to be dancing on the top of his toes as they walked through the cemetery.

"So, I can ask you this cause you're a girl right?" Xander glanced at her as they walked.

"Depends." Madalene smiled at the loaded question.

"You being a girl depends on what? Can you witches choose? Wow, that would kinda explain Willow..." Xander let his mind race for a second. "No wait, that's not what you meant, is it?" He stopped and pointed at the Spellcaster.

"No Xander we can't choose that, I meant it depends on what you're going to ask me." Madalene reached out and patted his hand to reassure him.

"Tara, what can I get her for her birthday? I mean I always had this problem, the first year was the worst, you know when she was a new Scooby, but this year its like, wow super present needed because she's like well, here." Xander posed his query.

"That's easy, make her something." Madalene smiled at his concern.

"Make her something?" Xander frowned.

"Out of wood." She laughed lightly. "You are a carpenter."

"Oh right, yeah." Xander laughed.

"What about a box to hold crystals in?" The Spellcaster tried to think of something specific.

"She'd like that right?" Xander checked.

"She'd love that." She nodded.

"That's great, okay next one." He smiled forming a plan for the present in his mind already.

"Is this twenty questions?" Madalene chuckled softly.

"I don't think I have twenty." Xander grinned. "You can ask me any in return."

"What is your other question?' Madalene prompted him scanning the tombstones again.

"Anya." Xander walked on. "I love her, but there's this huge problem." He dug his hands firmly in his pockets and Madalene waited for him to continue. "How can I make up for what I did? I mean I don't regret it, we weren't... I wasn't ready to get married, I'm still not, but not because I don't love her." He tried to explain.

"Xander." Madalene pulled him to a stop. "First you need to be honest with her, you can't say your sorry for something you're not sorry for. You did what you did because it was what you needed to do. So maybe you need to stop making up for it and instead focus on what you can and want to give now."

"But what if I'm not good enough for her?" Xander fretted.

"To be honest only Anya can decide that." Madalene kept her voice light. "And from what I've seen she's decided you are worth it."

"So you won't have me if she doesn't?" He gave her a boyish grin.

"You're very sweet, but I know you're heart is hers." Madalene grinned back and leaned up to kiss his cheek.

"But if it wasn't?" He pushed with an ever-widening smile.

"You never know." She laughed as she pulled back down.

"Right, so the whole you preferring girls thing wouldn't be an issue?" Xander checked his voice soft and not judgmental.

"Who told you..." Madalene felt herself frown slightly thrown by his comment.

"I'm a guy, I'm not blind." Xander shrugged.

"And how exactly did you know?" The Spellcaster asked softly.

"Okay there's this thing." Xander began. "It's the way you look." He explained badly.

"How I look?" Madalene frowned more. "Everyone said they liked the cords." She looked down to the deep red flared pants.

"I don't mean that, they're great." Xander underlined. "I mean look, with your eyes. Will does it, you do it." He pointed out.

"You mean look at other girls?" Madalene laughed lightly.

"Yeah, I mean like tonight, Will came in and looked at Tara and thought exactly what I thought, that being God Tara looks hot, not that I look at Tara that way, but hell she did. But what I mean is, Buffy looks at her and thinks, damn I wouldn't look that good in that dress not God Tara looks hot. You know?" He babbled on for a moment trying to dig himself out of the whole he'd made.

"Yeah, I know exactly what you mean." Madalene nodded. "So do you know much about this guy at the bar?" She questioned turning to start walking again.

"Never seen him before in my life." Xander shook his head. "But if there's one girl I trust to take care of herself its Buffy. He seemed to know her, must have met her in the Bronze before."

"Well I'm sure she'll call if she needs anything." Madalene nodded and then stopped. "We've got a problem." She looked down at the pushed up soil in front of the fresh grave.

"We do?" Xander looked around.

"Vampire." Madalene pointed down to the ground.

"Oh crap we do." Xander had barely got the second sentence out when a fist caught him on the lower jaw and sent him spinning backwards.

"Xander." Madalene saw him spin away and heard more than actually saw as the vampire leaped at her.

For a moment she was taken off guard as the heavy weight leaned down on her but quickly her survival instinct kicked in. She ducked down further using her smaller body size and weight to topple him up and over her.

Being inexperienced the vampire ended up skidding down into the ground face first. Madalene took a quick breath checking that Xander was stunned but okay before she turned back. The vampire was just starting to push up when Madalene jumped over and landed on him, pressing the brunt of her lightweight down to face plant him into the dirt again. Stepping back and off she grasped her stake in both hands and with a chopping action brought the stake down into his heart turning him to dust.

"Wow." Xander pushed himself up and began walking over. "First staking?" He questioned seeing the way she was breathing hard and fast as if she'd just run a very long race.

"Yeah." Madalene coughed and waved her hand in front of her face to clear the dust. "Buffy's been teaching me a few things, being more unbreakable then breakable helps."

"No, you're a natural. That had nice action to it." Xander congratulated her.

"You think he was the only one?" She asked looking around still feeling very excited after the encounter.

"I think so." Xander chuckled giving a brief look around. "You look like I should turn you round and march you back to the bronze to dance off that adrenaline."

"I think I'm more of a home for tea girl." Madalene admitted.

"Okay, you sure though I mean we could run by and see my new place, you can give me your opinion on the decor." He shuffled his feet against the grass for a moment.

"I'd love a tour." Madalene smiled at the offer.

"We can swap chat up lines." Xander teased as he guided Madalene down the path towards the cemetery exit.

The Summers' house was quiet and shadowed. The only lights that were on were on the front porch and the small lamp in the living room, its dim light casting just enough to illuminate the couch and the stairs up to the top floor.

"I hope she was telling us the truth about Buffy saying Midnight could sleep in with her this evening." Tara looked slightly worried as she came down the last step and crossed through the living room to sit next to Willow on the couch.

"I don't think Dawn would outright lie." Willow assured her.

"They're so cute, all flaked out together." Tara chuckled softly as she pulled up her legs and tucked them up on the couch, throwing her long dress over her bare toes.

"Though I'm going to have to wash her sheets and everything, I swear that dog has been in the pond again."

"She loves the water." Willow laughed and shifted leaning a bit closer. "So are you tired too?"

"I should be." Tara smiled.

"But you're not?" Willow reached out twirling the edge of Tara's skirt hem around her finger.

"Not especially." Tara admitted. "Do you like it?" She asked softly watching Willow's finger move over the thin soft fabric.

"It's beautiful, I can't believe I didn't get to see it before now." Willow smiled leaning back a bit into the couch so she could gaze up at Tara.

"Well what kind of a surprise would it have been then?" Tara asked arching an eyebrow softly.

"You're gorgeous." Willow smiled as she rubbed the sheer material.

"And you're trying to make me blush." Tara lowered her blue eyes a little bashfully.

"No, I'm telling you the truth." Willow reached up running her finger down Tara's cheek and the blonde's eyes fluttered closed.

"How does it feel?" The blonde as softly.

"Like I love you." Willow whispered the heartfelt answer.

"Do you want too?" Tara asked feeling her voice tremble as she spoke.

"Want too?" Willow smiled her voice still quiet.

"Love me." Tara replied softly. "Make love to me." She breathed out.

"Yes." Willow took a slow breath almost as if she was trying to confirm what she was hearing was true. Tara's eyes dipped closed again when she heard the redhead's whispered response.

"I want you too." She admitted slowly opening her blue eyes.

"Do you want to make love to me?" Willow asked seeing blue eyes slide open.

"Oh yes." Tara nodded and replied through something that was almost a gasped sigh.

"Do you want to go upstairs?" The redhead reached down sliding her hand into Tara's.

"Yes." Tara felt each one of their fingers slide into place next to each other as they pushed off the couch together in unison.

Willow wasn't quite sure how they got upstairs, the walk was a blur as she watched Tara move the rest of her surroundings melting away. Though if she had to she could have described every look, every breath that passed between them up until they reached their bedroom.

Tara turned and watched as Willow gently pressed her back on the door to close it. With a soft smile she backed up to the bed pulling Willow with her, relaxing into the mattress and guiding the redhead into a very natural feeling position over her on the bed. As soon as they were settled the blonde leaned up and pressed her lips to Willow's tenderly.

Willow felt her body guided until all thought was taken away by the feeling of soft lips pressing against her own. She felt light-headed by the sheer anticipation of what might be happening.

"We don't have to do anything." Tara whispered breaking the long kiss and changing it to sweet kisses in-between her words. "If you're too tired or just too overwhelmed, it's been a big day."

"No baby I don't feel tired, not one bit tired. I feel many, many things but none of them is tired." Willow shook her head lightly as she shifted so that she could bring her hand up to Tara's cheek. "Unless you're tired."

"I'm not tired, how could I be tired lying on a bed with you?" Tara smiled lovingly.

"Exactly." Willow leaned down to kiss her again.

Tara sighed softly in the kiss and slowly moved her hand up to trace the path of the thick denim straps of the overalls that criss-crossed over Willow's back. Even through the thick material the touch electrified Willow's body and she pressed closer.

"Oh Willow." Tara pulled her lips free of the redhead's to breathe her name, before slipping her hand under the straps to stroke over the soft brush of velvet covering Willow's shoulder blades

"I love you." Willow whispered as her back arched into the touch.

"I love you, Goddess I love you." Tara pushed up a little from the mattress to slide both arms fully around the redhead pulling her closer as she kissed her again.

"So much." Willow's body pushed down against Tara's as she leaned in kissing her again deeper.

Tara gently eased Willow over so that they rested side by side still kissing, as she lid her body closer gently easing one of her legs between the redhead's. In response Willow's leg automatically slid up over Tara's tangling them together further as her now free hand roamed down Tara's side.

Tara slowly dragged one of her hands up over Willow's shoulder under the denim strap. She twisted her hand over to let her long fingers curl around the clip that held the overalls in place and with a soft twist the metal stud slipped free and the strap fell loose off the thin shoulder.

The release of the tension around her upper body was immediate and Willow knew the slightly oversized overalls would basically fall off her now. Reaching up, she guided her hand up Tara's back till she reached the long zipper and guided it downwards.

"Oh baby." Tara arched her back with the motion of the zipper, her hand brushing over soft velvet covered shoulders.

"I want you so much." Willow whispered as she spread her hand over the warm flesh of Tara's back. Tara arched harder at the touch, her breath catching lightly in her throat as her eyes closed.

"I want you too Willow." She assured her girlfriend.

"So much." Willow used her hand to spread the material more open as her hand roamed.

Pressing her lips to Willow's again, gently but in a long lasting kiss, Tara breathed out. Slowly she moved her hand and placed it over Willow's on her back before she gently guided it off her body. Moving very slowly and pressing light kisses to soft lips over and over, she slid her leg free and pulled back out of reach.

"Baby?" Willow caught up a bit breathless as Tara moved away and she watched worried as the blonde gently eased off the bed and flicked her ringlets over her shoulder.

"Shush." She raised a finger to her lips. Slowly she released the hand she had kept over her chest that was now the only thing keeping the undone dress up. The sheer material fell to the floor in a soft cream pool leaving the blonde witch stood there in an ivory satin bra and matching low cut panties. Around her waist was a band of delicate lace and stretching down both thighs were strands of elastic and lace that fastened lightly onto sheer nearly invisible stockings.

The move instantly made Willow take a sharp breath in through her nose. Her vision filled with the most inspiring sight she had ever seen, as the temperature in the room seemed to skyrocket. Just the subtle contrast between the ivory silk and Tara's pale skin made her heart beat faster. Slowly Tara stepped out of the dress and reached out a hand to her girlfriend.

"Want to help with the rest?" She asked her voice trembling slightly. As green eyes trailed down and focused on the full extent of what Tara was wearing she could feel her entire body turn swim with desire.

"Tara." She whispered her voice thick as she managed to slowly push up.

"Willow." Tara whispered back.

"You're... wow." Willow tried again as she uneasily found her feet and moved closer.

"I wasn't sure if you liked..." Tara began motioning down at her outfit.

"I like, I like, I like." Willow's head wagged up and down with every repetition.

"You were meant too." Tara smiled a little relieved, a lot delighted as she watched Willow's very obvious reaction.

"I do." The redhead breathing in and out quickly. "Should I?" She flicked the strap of her overalls.

"If you want." Tara nodded her encouragement.

"Mmmm feeling hot at the moment." Willow admitted reaching up to flick the other clip open, she felt the denim fall away immediately. "I didn't get any new undies." She gave a soft smile as she stepped closer in her small black boxers.

"You didn't need too, I love these." Tara reached out and grazed her finger lightly over the cotton.

"Not as much as I love these." Willow brought her hands forward, her fingers shaking a bit as they came to rest across the lace over Tara's hips.

"I've been thinking about how I hoped you would like them all night." Tara admitted inching closer.

"I wish you had mentioned them earlier." Willow pulled her closer in a gentle move. "We could have skipped the Bronze wasting time bit."

"Is this where I admit when you came down and said my name before supper, I wanted you to whisk me upstairs and just take me then." Tara blushed slightly.

"So did I." Willow nodded as she admitted what was in her mind. "You were a vision of loveliness, I heard music and saw fireworks."

"And when Xander said Willow your girlfriend is drop dead sexy all I could think of was yes, yes I feel it and I want to know if Willow thinks so too." Tara curled long fingers into red hair.

"I hope the whole drooling on my shoes make you realise that I did." She rubbed her right hand down over lace and silk tracing the path of the elastic strap down Tara's thigh.

"When I'd worked out it wasn't Midnight who had licked them." Tara giggled as her body rocked forward slightly.

"Tara, you are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen." Willow stepped so that her hips were off centre to Tara's and they could press closer together.

"You should look in a mirror more often then." Tara whispered honestly.

"I don't want to look at anything but you." Willow leaned in catching her girlfriend's lips with a hot needy kiss.

Tara smoothed a hand over both of Willow's shoulders and over her arms and then on her waist seeking out the bottom of the dark velvet top as the kiss lingered and blossomed.

Willow's fingers tangled in the strap as her body melted against Tara's. She could feel the heat between them building so quickly as her hand slipped around cupping Tara's behind as she pressed their hips together.

"Willow." Tara gasped pressing hard against the smaller woman, her hands snaking underneath the velvet still covering the redhead.

"Lie down?" Willow questioned breathless.

"Yes." Tara panted as her response urged Willow to pull back. She watched as Willow reached up, pulling off her top to reveal the dark navy cotton bra she was wearing before she reached back turning down the bedclothes. When everything was ready she took Tara's hand. The blonde followed as she was urged though she was unable to tear her eyes from Willow's body. She felt almost overwhelmed by her desire to touch and caress the pale freckled skin before her, to feel its heat and taste through her lips.

"When you look at me I feel on fire." Willow whispered as they settled into the cool sheets and she pressed back close to the blonde again.

"You create a fire within me." Tara admitted breathlessly. "An all consuming passion." She danced fingertips along Willow's collarbone.

"I... I..." Willow's eyes dipped closed at the touch. "I want this so much." She whispered feeling overwhelmed by the emotions racing through her.

"I'm here whenever you're ready." Tara assured her tenderly. "But we don't have to rush into it if you're not." She added trying to make herself clear.

"I don't feel rushed, do you feel rushed?" Willow ran her hand down Tara's thigh.

"I thought I might." Tara admitted as her body shivered in pleasure. "When I planned this, that is when I thought of it." She tried to explain. "But I don't." She hurriedly assured. "It just feels right. I want to feel you. I want to know what it feels like to be loved by you. I want to know your touch, I want to feel you inside me, I want to be inside you." She felt her voice waiver slightly.

"Oh God baby yes." Willow couldn't control the growl that came out of her throat.

"Willow." Tara gasped and pressed her mouth open on the redhead's, her tongue eagerly seeking its partner as her leg again slipped up over Willow's bare thigh and hooked to lock them together. She found Willow's tongue was instantly there as they entered into deep torrid kiss. The redhead pressed her leg upwards, their bodies fitting together perfectly. Throughout the kiss Willow's hand gripped against the stocking on Tara's thigh sliding up and down over flesh and nylon.

Breathlessly Tara pulled back and began placing hot fast kisses over and around Willow's mouth, along her jaw, never straying far from the redhead's mouth so that she could come back to soft hot lips every few moments to recapture the passion there.

Willow felt every kiss race through her body as her ran her hand up Tara's back and her whole body was greeted as in a graceful wave the blonde reacted to her touch.

"Willow please." She gasped between kisses.

"Anything Tara, anything." Willow panted back her hand gliding downwards.

"Oh baby." Tara felt herself gasp the words as she was blown away by her lover's eagerness and desire to please. "Yes." She added before delivering another hot round of fervent kisses to Willow's jaw and neck. "Touch me."

"Yes, yes." Willow whispered between kisses as her hand slid up to the clasp that held the ivory bra around the blonde, she fumbled for a moment before popping it open.

She moved her own hand over and over, around Willow's shoulder taking immense pleasure in just the shape and feel of the redhead's skin. Tara moaned and panted hard as she felt the clasp undo freeing her breasts from the tight material.

"I want to touch you." Willow whispered following the strap up and easing it down off the blonde's shoulder.

"I want to touch you too." Tara admitted her hand following the pattern Willow's set as she traced down.

"Please." The redhead urged her hips flaring into Tara's, her upper body flashed forward wanting to be free of the material, hoping to have it soon replaced by Tara's hands.

With a second gentle click, the redhead's bra slid open and gentle but zealous fingers stripped the soft material away before gliding straight back onto the warm flesh.

"Willow." Tara breathed out as she brushed eight fingertips over the gentle swells of Willow's breasts lastly drawing the pad of her thumb up and over excited nipples. At the same time Willow ran her hand down, pushing away silk as her fingers carved out the generous curve of the blonde's body. "Oh baby." She tried to talk as her staggered almost harsh breaths left her body. She bent her head forward slightly and pressed her lips on the gentle rise of skin, placing a single kiss on each of the redhead's breasts before bringing lips to meet lips in a moment of intense need.

All Willow could do was moan at the move before she dove into the kiss, her palm resting flat over the flesh under it as she squeezed her fingers into the soft flesh. Tara felt her passion flare anew with Willow's caresses, she pressed herself into Willow's hands mimicking the movements with her own hoping that she was being gentle enough.

Willow moaned again as fingers came over the desperate area of her body, in response she twirled her fingers around her lover's erect nipple. Tara moaned louder and pulled her head free off the kiss, breathing fast and shallowly as she arched her back again. Willow watched each of her lover's movements enthralled by Tara's reactions.

Reluctantly Tara moved one hand from caressing Willow's breast and lightly cupped the back of her head. Stretching her back slightly and gently pressing Willow's head downward Tara suggested the move when she couldn't find the breath to speak.

The move wasn't one that Willow needed any real prompting for as she raced her lips lower and placed kisses over soft flesh before she sucked the nipple before her into her mouth.

"Oh God." Tara groaned, the hand on the back of Willow's head pressed slightly harder and the hand still holding her breast squeezed.

Willow sucked harder, her small breast pressing against Tara's hand as she moaned and their bodies began rocking together. She was sure that they probably should be going slower but every reaction Tara gave to her lips and tongue contradicted that fact. Slowly she drew her hand down, spraying her fingers over the blonde's stomach to encircle her belly button before she pressed lower skimming over lace to cup around hot silk.

"Willow." Tara gasped as a jolt of pure pleasure shot through her.

"Too fast?" The redhead check as her tongue wound around the flesh it toyed with.

"No." Tara panted. "Oh no." She shook her head and flexed her hand over an over on Willow's flesh.

"I just want you to feel good baby." Willow whispered curling her fingers in against the silk to press closer.

"I feel so good." Tara nodded. "Feel me." She encouraged her breath shortening even more.

"You feel so good." Willow groaned as she curled her finger around the thin material instantly being met with the evidence of Tara's heavy arousal.

"I'm… you've… Oh Willow!" Tara gasped at the touch.

"Goddess baby I want to feel all of you." Willow felt all the mental barriers fall away, just as they always had when they had this intimacy between them. The moment, life itself, became about love and intense feeling. Pressing her fingers through swollen lips, her flesh was soaked through as her fingertips drew around the blonde's centre.

"Oh baby." Tara pressed her hips back and forth slightly, caught in the rhythm of the movement that just felt so good, so natural and so right between them.

Willow moaned again as her lips closed sucking harder while she rocked her fingers against the movement of the blonde's hips. Tara closed her eyes and tipped her head back a little, her hand released Willow's head and slid back in to capture the redhead's neglected breast, her fingertips pressing over and over into the soft mounds in time with the flare of her hips. Flares that were growing more urgent as the redhead's fingers twirled and rocked below, while she lavished the flesh under her lips with the movements of her tongue.

"Mmmm baby, I love it when you do that." Willow reminded her with a hard grown as she rubbed and circled faster with her fingers.

"I know." Tara realised as a tear creased in the corner of her eye. "I remember." She admitted in a loving voice.

"You remember?" Willow heard the words and brought her head up seeing the tear. "Oh Tara, please we can stop… we don't have to if you won't want to." She slowed her hand.

"No baby no, don't stop." Tara's watery blue eyes flared open. "I thought I would." She tried to explain. "Remember that is, baby how could I forget the way only you could make me feel?" She moaned and released a body wide shiver of pleasure. "You complete me Willow." She blinked her tears away. "Please baby, make me whole again."

"And you complete me." Willow slid her fingers lower through the pooling wet between Tara's legs until with one soft press she entered the blonde's body.

Releasing Willow's breast in a suddenly flare reaction Tara slid her hands out and gripped the bedclothes beside their moving bodies. To feel Willow inside her, to feel this closeness with her lover was overwhelming. Every desire in her body, every ache in her heart and soul were instantly quelled as their essences connected.

"Ah!" For a flash moment when the emotion in her body ebbed and she became away of herself again Tara's eyes flared with pain.

"Tara?" Willow's body came to a quick halt, all movement ceasing as she noticed the difference in reaction immediately. "Baby what's wrong?" She whispered feeling tears well in her eyes.

"S-s-sorry." Tara panted as the unexpected pain burned sharply for a moment, almost worsened by the sudden halt in Willow's fingers.

"No, no baby I'm sorry." Willow shook her head blinking out tears.

"Willow no, it's all right." Tara felt the pains subside slightly and her fuzzy brain thankfully slotted pieces into place. Releasing the bedclothes Tara brought her hand up and stroked it lovingly over Willow's hair.

"I hurt you, I didn't mean to hurt you." Willow closed her eyes tucking her head away a bit.

"It always hurts a little the first time." Tara smiled lovingly. "Remember your biology honey." She slid her hand round under Willow's chin coaxing it up slightly.

"First time?" Willow reluctantly let her face move upwards. "But we've... you didn't remember but we have."

"New body Willow." Tara whispered tenderly her hips moving just a little to replace the ache again with pleasure. "This time I really am yours."

"Tara, you mean..." Willow's words fell off as her brain caught up and for the first time she moved her fingers slightly in their tight environment.

"I mean." Tara gasped again, quieter this time, nodding as Willow moved inside. "And with that in mind, I'd really like to experience all that giving you my virginity entails." She relaxed back into the mattress with a wide smile.

"I love you so much." Willow leaned with her, following her mostly so that she could place a loving kiss over the blonde's ruby lips.

"I'm hoping exhaustively." Tara pressed up into the kiss.

"Yes." Willow vowed as she felt the muscles around her fingers begin to relax, her hips flexing open further. Slowly she pulled back, letting the blonde's body adjust as her thumb swirled around her hard centre before she gently pressed back in.

"Mmmm yes." Tara's moan was more one of pleasure and gratitude when Willow entered her again, her newly opened body willingly accepting the pressure.

Pulling back Willow watched Tara's face checking for any new signs of pain or displeasure as she moved her fingers in time with the slow rhythm of Tara's hips.

Tara soon felt any residual pain dispersing and being replaced by a pulse of groaning pleasure that flowed and fluttered throughout her body.

"That feels so good." She panted heavily.

"You feel wonderful." Willow tucked her head onto Tara's shoulder breathing into her ear. Her thumb pressed with each movement against the blonde's centre enticing the excited nerves even more.

From the beginning of their time that evening Tara had thought she was doing well at pacing herself and coping with the barrage of intense pleasured feelings that crashed over and inside her body, but almost all at once she realised she was anything but in control. The tell tale first sign was the beginning of spasms in the muscles of her thighs and then her breathing that was more ragged and irregular.

"I love you." Willow panted the words over and over with each press of their bodies.

"I love you." Tara panted back as long as she was able until her words were taken replaced by a series of moans and gasps as she pressed herself harder to Willow's body. The pitch of the noises increased as she climbed higher and higher towards her release. Then with a sudden full body tense and arch Tara pressed up off the bed. "WILLOW!"

"I love you." Willow met each of her movements with careful attention as she drew out her lover's release.

"Oh God, oh God baby." Tara embraced the blissful depths of release, panting over and over. Sometimes she managed to utter Willow's name, other times she just whimpered moans of contentment and bliss.

Willow eased her movements only when Tara's hips slowed and exhausted Tara flared her arms out, before pulling them back and managing to curl one around her lover's body.

"And people think Buffy's the slayer." Tara laughed her breathing steadying slowly.

"You're recycling old jokes, must be a good sign." Willow leaned up a little and smiled as Tara laughed. The joyous sound making the redhead feel even happier than she thought possible.

"I love you." She said from her heart.

"I love you baby." Willow leaned down for the softest kiss.

"I... wow I didn't think, that is I knew we were... wow." Tara knew she didn't have the vocabulary right now to come anywhere even close to verbalising what she felt.

"I know, shush." Willow soothed as she gently did what she could to cradle Tara in her arms.

"But you..." Tara tried rather vainly to push up a little and turn to Willow. "Are you okay?" She tried to ascertain how the redhead was doing.

"I have you, I'm wonderful." Willow kissed her again softly.

"I can't wait to see if I can do this to you." Tara smirked softly as she gave up the struggle to hold herself up and relaxed into the bed to snuggle closer to Willow.

"Mmmm you know you can." Willow giggled as she closed her eyes just revelling in the electricity and love in the room. It was flowing all around them, through them and made everything in her heart so full.

"At least I know what I'm having for breakfast." Tara closed her own eyes, but then reopened one just to wink at her lover.

"Vixen." Willow giggled.

-x-

Much to the dismay of many finally at three am the Bronze had turned on the house lights and ushered anyone still left out into the night to find their way home. For a few blocks Buffy had still be able to hear the calls and laughter of other Bronze patrons but further into the labyrinth of residential streets the late night air of Sunnydale was quiet once again. Christian walked slowly along side of her; their footsteps slow and relaxed as he walked her home.

"Sorry I should have warned you that I'm hopeless at keeping an eye on the time." He apologised glancing at his watch as they passed under a street lamp.

"You at least have a watch." Buffy flashed her bare wrist smiling. "So don't worry I don't blame you, in fact I'm pretty much a night owl so I don't mind."

"This is when you tell me you tell the time by the stars." The young man laughed looking up at the bright canopy above them.

"Oh yeah, it's half past the 'Moose in the bathtub'." Buffy pointed up to Willow's favourite constellation.

"Isn't that Orion?" Christian checked with a frown

"Probably, Willow is all brainy with stuff like astronomy and Tara isn't so she tried to cheat. When Willow told her the real names like Orion she changed it to the more memorable 'Moose in a bathtub'. Sorta weird inside joke." Buffy tried to explain but realised she was making things worse. "I promise we aren't as bizarre as I'm making us all seem."

"It's okay, I get it… crazy young girls in love." He smiled at the sweet story. "I've met a few in my time."

"Those two are going to be crazy old women in love." Buffy smiled to herself remembering sadly how only a few short months before Willow's future had been so bleak and Tara hadn't actually had one. Her smile didn't fade though as she underlined to herself none of possible anymore, Tara was alive and Willow was getting better.

"They look good together." He nodded. "So at the risk of spoiling any good impression I might have made…" He paused. "You and Madalene are..."

"Madalene?" Buffy's eyes went wide as his question pulled her out of her own thoughts. "Oh no, no. I mean there is nothing wrong with that, but no." She shook her head.

"See what I mean, there goes the good impression." Christian laughed uneasily.

"Please it's a perfectly normal question." Buffy reached out patting his arm for a moment. "Especially since last time I was coming to her rescue and well she is very pretty. But no, just friends." She stated again.

"Friends are good." Christian assured her he understood. "Everyone needs friends Buffy."

"Yeah they do." The Slayer nodded. "Do you have many in California? I mean from the accent you haven't always been here in the states."

"A few yes, I've only been here for five years." He tuned in for a moment to the soft inflection he put on his words. "In America that is."

"So you like it here? I have a friend who's from Britain, he's always going on about how crude we are here." Buffy laughed softly as she thought of her Watcher. Early when Christian had first admitted he was British she'd been a bit stunned, as the young man seemed nothing like Giles at all. Of course then she'd realised how unfair it was to lump every British male into a Giles' category.

"I like it a lot, I like the space and the size of everything here and the anonymity." Christian pushed his hands into the pockets of his dark jeans.

"And coming to Sunnydale, that was because of your job?" Buffy asked subtly.

"Originally yes but you might say I'm between jobs right now." He made a nervous noise. "I'm seeming like the best catch in the world right now aren't I?" He shook his head again and looked up. "Not that I'm hitting on you." He stressed his brown eyes worried.

"First, wow I think I'd be disappointed and secondly I think people put way too much weight on jobs and money and stuff to judge if a person's worth it." Buffy smiled at him seeing the momentary worry.

"Do you work?" He asked the subtle question of his own. "Or are you studying?"

"I'm between jobs too but I'm trying to get back into the university. I was studying but my mom pasted away and I had to leave for awhile to take care of my sister." She admitted trying not to make her life sound like the sob story it was.

"Well your sister seems to be doing fine." He smiled encouragingly. "And I'm sure you'll find something to challenge you."

"She's doing a lot better." She nodded smiling to herself as she knew it was true. A lot of things had come together despite the chaos to help Dawn feel more secure and safe again. "Oh I have lots of challenges in my life." She laughed at his second statement.

"Then who needs a job anyway, well apart form the money of course." He smiled brightly. "I could lend you a rich relative."

"England's teeming with them is it?" Buffy laughed again.

"I have a couple. I'm sorry." In the dim light his cheeks blushed. "That sounded pompous didn't it."

"Christian it was a joke." Buffy shook her head seeing more evidence of how nervous she was making him.

"Sorry again, I often behave like an ass around pretty women." He gave her a charming smile.

"See and that makes up for it, assuming you think I'm one of the pretty women." She came to a slow stop in front of her house.

"Oh course." Christian slowed too. "I'm taking it that 'Summers et all' would be you." He smiled pointing at the mailbox with black marker scrawled on it.

"Two Summers, two Sleans, a Rosenberg, a soon to be leaving Harris and one black lab named Midnight." Buffy laughed as she listed them all off and then looked to the small house. "Can I interest you in coffee or tea? Not that you have to like tea cause you're British."

"I hate it to be honest." He laughed as he glanced at the house. "But I love coffee."

"We definitely have coffee." Buffy led him up to the front door and quickly keyed them in. She walked in first for some reason almost breathing a sigh of relief when he followed her without an invitation.

"The kitchen is back here." She instantly did a tally of which coats were on the rack and whose were missing.

"For such a full house hold it's rather quiet." Christian observed as he walked just behind the Slayer, glancing around at the décor he tried to tread the line between interested and nosy.

"Mmmm can I throw you to the wolves to put on the kettle while I check on Dawn?" She tried to be nonchalant as she backed up a bit.

"We have them in England." He assured her moving over to the former mentioned appliance.

Quickly Buffy backtracked out and first headed upstairs. Her first stop found that Willow and Tara's door was closed, a very quick listen with Slayer hearing told her they were asleep as she could hear Willow snoring lightly obviously meaning the redhead was on her back.

A peak into her sister's room showed the teenager sprawled out with Midnight lying over one of her long legs equally sound asleep. That three of them were home and in dreamland made the Slayer feel a lot better as she headed down and veered into the basement.

A few moments later with the very obvious discovery that neither Xander nor Madalene had made it home quickly turned that relieved feeling around into something more akin to dread.

"All safe and sound?" Christian called softly hearing her footsteps when she came back into the kitchen.

"Christian, this is going to again push me into the weird category but two of the regulars here at the house aren't home and I'm going to have to go look for them." Buffy tried not to show her growing concern.

"Not your sister?" An instant concern flashed across his face.

"No, Dawn's up in bed." Buffy shook her head. "Madalene and Xander were going to do this thing for me so that I could stay at the Bronze and really they should be back from the thing so I should go check." She moved taking off the long coat she had on and pulled on a shorter one she knew had a stake and a dagger hidden within the pockets already.

"You want me to come with you? I mean I don't want to intrude but I did just walk you home to be safe." He pointed out glancing at the clock.

"No, the walk home was great but I'll be fine." Buffy tried to evade the very normal but not incredibly helpful question. After all she should be the one walking him home as she was the slayer.

"Right, not a problem, I'll just slink off home and hope we meet up again at the Bronze some time." He flicked off the kettle and made his way back to the front door.

"We could have coffee tomorrow to make up for this?" Buffy offered following him to through the hall hoping she didn't sound totally desperate. "I mean if you wanted."

"Why don't you find your friends and then think hard on if you want to meet up with the odd unemployed none British Englishman." He pulled out a card and handed it to Buffy. "That's me." He smiled pointing to the dark type. "Corny I know giving you a card and all but it's a handy way of contacting me."

"I thought it was really classy." Buffy took the card smiling at the embossed letters. "No ones ever given me their card before."

"I could give you another then you could feel doubly special." He offered backtracking out of the house onto the porch.

"I can collect another one when we meet for coffee." Buffy smiled as she pulled the door closed behind her.

"I had a great night Buffy, thank you." He offered not sure exactly how this evening was going to end.

"So did I." She stood awkwardly for a moment and then rather stupidly stuck out her hand. "Thank you."

"Oh, wow." He looked at her hand. "You're friend really is British isn't he?" He said shaking it lightly.

"Yes, sorry." Impulsively she leaned up and kissed his cheek. "Thanks for understanding." She stepped down to the concrete walk and began heading away.

"Not a problem Buffy." He said still smiling as he watched her walk down the street.

Madalene had her hands tucked in the pockets of her coat to guard against the slight growing chill in the air. She knew it had to be late only because California only really got this cold at ungodly hours of the night.

It hadn't really taken that much convincing for Xander to let her walk home alone once Anya had arrived at the apartment with pizza. They'd had fun for a bit and she had to admit to herself that over time she was actually growing to like Anya's unique take on the world. Near the end though she'd begun to feel the odd girl out and had gracefully left for home. Luckily she hadn't seen any more vampires or anything else out of the ordinary, with any further luck they were all already tucking up for the impending dawn.

'Just another few blocks to go.' She congratulated herself but kept her hand on the stake inside her jacket just in case.

"Madalene?" Buffy's voice cut through the empty street followed by the light hammering of the Slayer's boots on tarmac as she raced to the Spellcaster's side.

"Buffy?" The Spellcaster turned when she heard the familiar voice. "Hi, how come you're not at home?" She asked concerned when she saw her race over.

"Where the hell have you been? Are you okay?" Buffy snapped doing a quick circuit around the witch checking for obvious wounds.

"I'm fine." Madalene flinched at the harsh tone. "Just walking home." She revolved slower as Buffy lapped her.

"Is Xander hurt? Where is he? I can get him." She stood still and looked up and down the road. "Damn it I knew I shouldn't have let you go on patrol."

"He's at his apartment, we went by there after patrol so he could show it off. I left him with Anya and pizza so I think he's fine." Madalene reached out and gently put her hand on Buffy's arm. "We're fine." She underlined trying to get the Slayer to stop panicking.

"Fine?" Buffy seemed to take the work on board she stopped and breathed for a few moments. "Patrol was okay?" She checked.

"Yes, we saw one and I staked it." Madalene smiled proudly. "Xander was impressed he said you must be really teaching me the skills."

"You bagged your first vamp?" Buffy looked at the Spellcaster surprised.

"I did what you said, used there size against mine and then put him off balance then stab." Madalene made a motion with her hand.

"No wait." Buffy stopped herself. "I was about to get all huggy and wow Mads that's cool, but no." She shook her head and scowled. "I'm pissed at you."

"What? Why are you upset with me?" The Spellcaster frowned.

"I thought you were dead." She stamped her foot childishly. "It's four thirty in the morning you left the bronze at four minutes after eleven, add to that the fact in my life when I get home to a house minus two occupants usually means something bad." She ranted.

"Buffy... Buffy..." Madalene called a stop to her miniature tirade. "Sorry. I forgot how much you worry." She smiled and leaned in giving the Slayer a warm hug. "How was your date?" She questioned softly.

"Date?" Buffy asked still held in the hug.

"The tall blonde haired boy we left you at the Bronze with?" Madalene raised an eyebrow as she pulled back. "Oh please don't tell me he turned into a demon or a vampire?" She frowned at the sad idea.

"Oh no." The Slayer chuckled. "His name is Christian, he's from England."

"English eh?" Madalene turned and linked her arm into Buffy's urging her towards home. "So do I get more details?" She pushed softly.

"It wasn't a date." Buffy pointed out letting herself be guided as she brought her arm up and looped it around Madalene's as well. Madalene smiled and waited for her to say more. "He was very nice, and I have his card." She added finally with a smirk.

"Very classy." Madalene nodded. "So you had a nice evening?"

"Yes." Buffy leaned her head onto Madalene's shoulder. "It was nice, he was nice."

"Nice is good." Madalene nodded a little. "So you're going to call him?" She checked rather unnecessarily.

"I might." Buffy smirked again.

"I'm glad you had a good night." The Spellcaster squeezed her hand around Buffy's arm.

"It was just nice you know." Buffy shrugged. "Nice to have some attention." She admitted.

"Oh you don't fool me Miss Summers you get attention all the time." Madalene teased making the Slayer laugh.

"Yeah but we already clarified he wasn't a demon or a vampire, so his attention was pretty unusual." Buffy clarified knowing that was about the only attention she'd been getting lately.

"Not true, that guy at the grocery store was hitting on you and the manager at the video store." Madalene listed off possible suitors.

"The manager at the video store is married." Buffy countered. "And the grocer guy was totally looking at you."

"He was not." Madalene shook her head laughing. "Last thing that wanted to date me was the Jupiterman demon."

"And Xander!" Buffy laughed hugging closer to the Spellcaster.

"How did you know about Xander?" The Spellcaster asked surprised as she looped both her arms around Buffy's capturing it.

"He drools, its obvious." Buffy laughed brighter. "A little like the mess at super."

"I thought that was cute, Tara needs a little extra attention sometimes. Everyone does really." Madalene conceded gently remembering the occurrence. "And we all know Xander is hopelessly devoted to Anya."

"He is but he has eyes." The Slayer pointed out.

"He checks you out too missy." Madalene turned the moment around on the Slayer. "Just more subtly so that you don't punch him."

"Oh don't, been there done that." She shook her head laughing more.

"I know, I heard all about it." The Spellcaster shook her head. "I can't believe him and Willow... ever!" She giggled.

"Oh they did." Buffy shivered at the memory. "Could explain her shift."

"Behave you." Madalene bumped into Buffy's hip laughing. "I think Willow's shift as you call it is more because my cousin is a beautiful and lovely woman that no one could resist."

"I used to be really suspicious of her." Buffy admitted the secret fact softly.

"Suspicious, why?" Madalene was surprised by her choice of words.

"Just because of the whole shy geek Willow becoming a hot lesbian Wicca Willow transformation." Buffy explained her reason.

"But I'm sure you saw hints of it beforehand?" Madalene questioned curiously.

"Maybe, if I'd have looked." The Slayer admitted a bit ashamed as she thought back to how wrapped up in her own life and oblivious she had been.

"Either way from anything I have ever heard or seen you have been a fantastic friend to her Buffy." Madalene squeezed Buffy's arm again.

"Oh I don't know about that." Buffy shook her head. "I've let her down plenty too."

"Yes, but you never gave up on her." The Spellcaster pointed out the difference.

"No." Buffy admitted that much. "And I never will." She vowed.

"You have a good heart Buffy Summers." Madalene whispered as they turned the block and emerged onto Revello.

"Right now I have a happy one." Buffy smiled looking down to the mailbox. "And you have a basement all to yourself." She smiled broadly.

"I know, don't know what I'm going to do with all that space." Madalene laughed a little overwhelmed by the idea.

"You'll think of something." Buffy assured her as they walked up the lawn to the front door.

Madalene carried up the basket of laundry from the basement moving into the kitchen to drop of the dishtowels before she intended on carrying the rest upstairs. She wasn't surprised to see Tara by the sink fighting with the dishes, as the early morning had been so busy no one had quite gotten around to cleaning up.

"Do you want help?" She offered resting the basket on one of the stools.

"Why is there always so many dishes in the morning?" Tara's tone was slightly flustered but as ever good-natured.

"Because this house likes to have a midnight snack and they love a big breakfast." Madalene laughed softly. "Why don't you leave them I can do them once I get this put away? You look tired cousin."

"I am a little." Tara admitted pulling her hands from the sink and tucking a slightly uncurled ringlet behind her ear. She accepted the clean dry cloth that Madalene offered and wiped off her hands.

"Why don't you have a nap? I'm sure you could convince Willow to give up whatever she is doing on the computer and lie down with you." Madalene pressed softly.

"Willow's working?" Tara looked up at her cousin with a gentle frown.

"I think Anya phoned and asked her to search for something or other on the web. She's in the living room tapping away." Madalene gestured back. "Why shouldn't she be?" She asked concerned.

"Oh no, no reason of course she should be working, she works hard." Tara covered a bit flustered.

"Tara are you okay?" Madalene abandoned the basket and moved closer to the blonde her voice soft.

"Of course I'm fine." She badly fluffed.

*Cousin, what's going on?* Madalene questioned using her inner voice.

*Basement.* Tara nodded and moved to the door. Immediately Madalene nodded and followed her down. "I'm sorry." She apologised as soon as they were at the bottom of the stairs and in Madalene's 'room'.

"Please Tara there's no reason to be, what's going on?" She questioned sitting down on the bed across from the blonde.

"Nothing bad." Tara eased herself somewhat gingerly down on to the bed as Madalene did.

"I'm listening." The Spellcaster encouraged as she watched her cousin.

"It worked." Tara smiled broadly suddenly. "The dress, the lingerie." She beamed at her cousin who had been in on the idea.

"Tara, I'm so happy for you. Everything was okay?" She checked grinning back, with the way Tara had be acting upstairs she was worried maybe something hadn't been quite perfect enough.

"It was…" Tara paused. "More than I could have dreamed of, more than I have dreamed of." She chuckled to herself. "Literally."

"Not that I'm pushing for intimate details but I don't understand." Madalene knew she was missing something just from the odd chuckle alone.

"Well I hadn't realised, I mean looking back I guess its obvious but I didn't think like that when I thought about it." Tara rambled around her point. "It was my first time." She lowered her voice and whispered her cheeks flaring scarlet.

"Well yes because..." Madalene felt herself stop short. "Oh first time." She felt her cheeks go red too. "You mean?"

"New body, fully healed." Tara nodded that they were on the same wavelength.

"That would make sense." The Spellcaster laughed softly.

"You mean you didn't know?" Tara looked at her cousin with a curious smile.

"Tara, if I had known I would have told you." Madalene shook her head not wanting Tara to think she was hiding anything.

"Well now you do." The blonde reached out and gently squeezed Madalene's arm. "So you can start looking for 'the right one'." She gave her a slow wink.

"The right one?" Madalene's eyes went wide as she finally realised just what Tara was saying. "Oh well I don't think that is too much of an issue." She shook it off with a light laugh. "But everything still was wonderful right?" She checked to make sure, especially with the new information.

"Oh Maddy." She leaned forward and hugged her cousin tight. "It was more than wonderful. I didn't want to move this morning. We wouldn't have either if life hadn't gotten in the way."

"I'm sorry I should have kept everyone away." Madalene hugged her back. "I could drag everyone out again tonight, we can go to Xander's."

"Well I was wondering if you and Buffy had any pressing, leaving the house kind of arrangements." She dropped her eyes. "Kinda nowish."

"You know, I'm sure that we do." Madalene nodded quickly. "Let me go grab the Slayer and say come back around four when Dawn is due home from school?"

"The hacker fingers are up and working early Will." Buffy walked into the living room where Willow was hunched over the coffee table working on her laptop.

"Yeah, a little too earlier." The redhead grumbled as she leaned back a bit.

"Oh, sorry." Buffy hovered in the doorway slightly set off kilter by the redhead's response.

"Oh no I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you." Willow frowned as she realised what she had said. "I just... I was hoping to be doing something else this morning and stupid life got in the way you know?"

"If you wanted to Midnight for her walk you should have just said, Dawn wouldn't have minded." Buffy eased down on the nearest chair.

"No not that... more a me and Tara hope." Willow smiled shyly at her best friend.

"Oh, OH!" Buffy sat up straighter. "Well you too were looking very cuddly last night at the bronze."

"Very cuddly." Willow nodded smiling more. "Very happy first time cuddly." She whispered blushing.

"First time cuddly, Will, you and Tara cuddle all the time." Buffy chuckled. "On the couch, in the kitchen." She listed off places.

"No public cuddling, private cuddly." Willow's voice was edgy as she tried to get the Slayer to understand without actually saying anything.

"Private cuddly?" Buffy screwed her nose up trying to work it out. "Oh!" She said again as she got the hidden information. "You mean?" She barely had the question out when the redhead nodded. "Wow Will, that's great, and it was it?" Buffy couldn't believe she asked the question but she had just needed to know everything was okay.

"Wonderful." The redhead's smile was blinding. "Fantastic... I love her so much." She admitted softly.

"None of us needed private cuddly evidence to know that, but it must feel great." Buffy acknowledged with a grin.

"Speaking of feeling great can I ask you a favour?" Willow bit her lip as she closed the lid to her laptop.

"Of course." Buffy nodded eagerly.

"Could you say find somewhere to go with Madalene for a few hours?" She tilted her head not sure if she should be asking this.

"Tonight?" Buffy shrugged running down agendas in her head. "Yeah of course. We'll take Dawn around to see Xander's new place."

"That would be great." Willow nodded. "But I sorta meant right about like sometime near… now." She stressed the urgency.

"Now?" Buffy laughed and shook her head. "Call me Buffy the dense slayer. I'll grab Mads and the dog and consider us out."

"Thank you." Willow voiced the sincere sentiment as almost on cue Madalene appeared in the doorway.

"Hi Buffy, just who I was looking for." She smiled at the pair in the living room.

"Exactly what I was going to say." The Slayer returned the smile. "Want to take Midnight for a walk with me?"

"You read my mind." The Spellcaster nodded. "We could go to that big park on the other side of town, get coffee on the way back."

"Perfect, let's go." Buffy threaded her arm through Madalene's. "MIDNIGHT!" She called loudly and the Labrador came trotting down from upstairs.

Leading Madalene to the door, Buffy released the Spellcaster's arm momentarily and bent down, softly disconnecting the phone line before flashing a smile in Willow's direction.

"Ready?" She looked at Madalene as she opened the door.

"Right behind you." Mads slipped her bag over her shoulder and bent down clicking the leash onto Midnight's collar as they headed out.

They were almost to the end of the driveway before Madalene started to laugh.

"Well that was amusing." She noted handing the lead over to Buffy.

"I'm taking it that Tara and you had a similar conversation to Will and I." Buffy laughed and wrapped her hand around the leather leash.

"Yes." Madalene nodded. "It's all very romantic." The Spellcaster smiled and looped her arm back into Buffy's as they walked away from the house.

"It is, I never thought I would hear myself say it but they always have made it all look so… perfect." She settled on the word.

"They do." Madalene agreed.

"And hey I said all that without a twinge of jealousy." She chuckled to herself.

"I think it's okay to be jealous, I mean to the point of wishing you had someone in your life like that." Madalene admitted squeezing Buffy's arm. "Everybody wants to have someone that loves and understands them."

"Well I have a dog." Buffy laughed and reached down rubbing Midnight's head as the dog trotted beside her. "When you going to start your search:"

"Hadn't thought about it." Madalene shook her head.

"Really? I thought everyone did." Buffy admitted

"I think I get about as far as having to explain I'm part demon and I under certain circumstances I will come back from the dead before I think wow too complicated." The Spellcaster summed up her reasoning. "Add to that explaining how I am able to toy with magical forces and…" She didn't bother finishing the bleak scenario.

"I get all that though." Buffy smiled at the dark haired woman. "And I don't look at you and think 'weird'."

"That's because you're extra special." Madalene smiled back at her.

"So how was the basement last night? Odd without the snoring Xander?" Buffy turned her face away from the compliment.

"Very." Madalene nodded. "I was tempted to come sleep on the couch, it was just too quite."

"I meant to ask if you wanted Xander to come around and take the partition wall out. Give you some real space." Buffy explained what had come to mind that morning.

"That would be up to you Buffy, it is your basement." The Spellcaster reminded her. "You might want his room for training or storage or something."

"No, its up to you, it's your room." Buffy pointed out clearly. "One of the family remember."

"How about we leave it as is for a bit then decide?" Madalene smiled at the sentiment.

"Whatever you want." Buffy nodded. "I want you to be comfortable at home."

"Thank you." Madalene squeezed Buffy's arm again as they crossed the street.

"I thought they'd never leave." Willow panted pulling her lips back from Tara as she somewhat fell back on the bed still trying to get her sweater off.

"Me either." Tara pulled off her shirt and moved to help Willow out of the sweater.

"Mmmm I missed you." Willow finally got free and reached her hands up pulling Tara down to kiss her again.

"I missed you too, I never knew that breakfast could take so long or that I was the only one capable of cooking it." Tara moaned between kisses.

"Mmmm they can all eat out tonight." Willow ran her hands up Tara's back.

"Did you get what Anya wanted?" Tara arched and flexed her back with Willow's hands.

"Emailed already." Willow leaned down kissing over Tara's long neck down to her shoulder.

"You're such a whiz." Tara grinned moaning softly as she gathered her hair out of the way for her lover.

"Mmmm..." Willow didn't really manage a response as she licked her way back up to Tara's ear and then kissed over the edge of it.

"Mmmm baby." Tara purred dragging her hand up over Willow's side and then gliding and settling over the redhead's left breast. Willow's body instantly arched into the contact. "I'm beginning to think I'm a breast girl too." Tara breathed as she moved her other hand to her lover's other breast.

"Not..." Willow moaned lightly. "Your favourite." She breathed out again falling back totally on the bed as her body pressed into Tara's hands.

"They're not?" Tara queried moving to kiss along Willow's collarbone.

"Mmmm something else." Willow tipped her head back into the bed.

"Something else." Tara punctuated her words with kisses moving lower skimming lightly over the gentle swellings, twirling her tongue around puckering flesh. The movement made Willow moan louder as her hands came down to massage over Tara's shoulders. "So soft." Tara breathed kissing Willow's nipple over and over, switching between breasts regularly.

"Oh God baby." Willow moaned her body shivering under the attention.

"Mmmm." Tara breathed dragging her tongue up and round the attentive flesh straining towards her and then blowing a gentle stream of air softly over them.

"Tara!" Willow gulped as her body gave a hard tremor, the contrast sending a shot of arousal down to make her feet press harder into the bed as her hips rocked upward.

"All right?" Tara glanced up slightly worried for a moment.

"Yes, yes baby." Willow panted her eyes tinted with pleasure as she looked down at the blonde.

Guiding her hands back over Willow's body Tara cupped her soft breasts again ever so slowly bringing her kisses lower, over Willow's sternum.

"Yes." Willow encouraged without really thinking.

Tara smiled through her kisses, she moved lower over creamy white skin her hands never stopping their soft caresses.

"I think the jeans need to go sweetie." Tara kissed along the edge of denim pants.

"Okay… please." Willow nodded as her hips pressed up into the kisses.

"You're sure." Tara panted lightly her fingertips focusing on gently pulling Willow's nipples.

"Positive." Willow nodded reaching down to undo the button on her jeans trying to stress just how sure she was.

Reluctantly Tara released her sweet torture on Willow's aroused nipples and moved them to ease down the brass zipper and then placing light chaste kissed over the soft skin of Willow's thighs as she pulled the jeans off. Gradually the move revealed her lover's body, which was now only hidden by short black panties. Willow was glad to have the restrictive material off her body and Tara remained at the end of the bed just looking at the redhead for a long moment

"You look like an angel." Tara breathed out drawing soft circles on Willow's lower leg as she knelt on the bed beside her lover.

"That would be you." Willow contradicted with a loving smile.

"Oh no, my eyes see and angel, I can't see me." She said tenderly.

"That's what I see too." Willow leaned closer winding her arms around Tara's body needing to be close to her. Tara stretched her longer body down beside Willow's and gathered her closer for a long moment. "It feels so good just to hold you, just to hear your heart beat." She whispered.

"It does." Tara agreed. "But…" Her face turned into a grin. "Other things feel…" She beamed. "Even better." She winked.

"Vixen." Willow grinned back at her.

"MIDNIGHT NO!" Buffy shouted as the large black dog bounded heedlessly into the lake water sending ducks flapping and quacking every which way. In a flash the Slayer began chasing after her as Midnight went after one of the ducks.

"Buffy!" Madalene laughed as the Slayer took off after her. It was all too comical really. Here she was stood useless by the path with the leather lead, while Buffy chased after the dog that was busy chasing after a duck. On top of that it was clear that Buffy wasn't making much headway on the Labrador but she didn't stop her hectic pursuit.

"Buffy don't call her too you or she'll..." Madalene began running after both of them when just as she had predicted the lab came bounding back towards the Slayer and about five feet away stopped ready to give the shake of her life.

"GROSS!" Buffy staggered to a stop and tried to curl up against the spray of water and pond plants that were shot out over her as Midnight's body contorted back and forth.

"Midnight sit." Madalene reached them as the spray subsided. "Are you okay?" She tried not to laugh at the sight of the soggy Slayer.

"I'm soaked." Buffy stood up and pulled a long green stem off her jacket.

"I can't take you anywhere can I?" Madalene questioned with a grin as she took some tissues out of her purse and wiped the drops of mud off Buffy's left cheek.

"I hope you are talking to her." She pointed at the dripping wet dog who's long pink tongue lolled out of her mouth panting heavily as she sat nearby watching them.

"Both of you." Madalene laughed again blotting the tissue against the Slayer's shirt.

"But I'm just a victim of circumstance." Buffy objected laughing.

"There's a bathroom block over there, I have another shirt on under my sweater and you can change into that and get out of this wet thing." Madalene shook her head again. "Since we can't go home we're going to have to make due."

"Do I look that bad?" Buffy asked but as she did Midnight gave a low bark in response to a brave duck that flew down to close to them. In a flash the large dog broke from her position and with a huge arcing leap she jumped back into the lake.

"Mads down." Buffy pushed the Spellcaster to the side trying to crouch down as a plume of water waved out towards them. The water hit the ground effectively drenching what little of the Slayer that was still dry. Madalene staggered back out of the wave's path and looked rather shocked as the Slayer landed back on her butt sputtering under the latest assault.

"MIDNIGHT!" Buffy screamed from her puddle and from in the water the dog turned and looked at her inquisitively. Seeing the innocent look on the Labrador's face she couldn't help but laugh as she shook out her wet hair and turned to check on Madalene. "You okay?"

"Fine, though we're going to need to get you dried off." She tried not to laugh at the now utterly drenched blonde.

"We don't have too." Buffy squeezed the excess water from her jacket sleeves and pushed up.

"You're soaked through." Madalene walked back over to her.

"Yeah I am, aren't I?" The Slayer laughed again.

"I'm sure we can get the keys to Xander's place and hide out there." The Spellcaster explained attempting again to at least dab the new streaks off Buffy's face.

"No don't, you might get wet." Buffy took a slight step back but a slow smirk spread over her face as she took a quick glance over her shoulder, judging how far away she was from the water's edge.

"Buffy?" Madalene questioned when she saw the mischievous look dawning on the Slayer's face. "Buffy... think about this." She saw the Slayer's mouth curl up into an almost devilish grin.

"Oh I am." Buffy grinned with a nod.

"There's no reason for us both to be soaked." She put up her hands and started backing away slowly.

"You might want to start running!" Buffy grinned before pushing into a fast sprint towards the Spellcaster.

"You're the slayer you should give me a headstarttttttt!" Madalene turned squealing as she tried to hopelessly to run away.

"You call that running." Buffy caught her easily and with strong arms hoisted her off her feet.

"Buffy!" Madalene screamed as effortlessly she flew up and landed in Buffy's arms. Gracefully Buffy shifted her grip and so that the Spellcaster was cradled in front of her before she began walking back towards the lake. "Think about this." Madalene warned as the world shifted and she tried to squirm a bit as they got closer to the water.

"I am." Buffy stated firmly as Midnight starting barking and jumping around them knowing they were playing something fun.

"You don't want to throw me in the lake." Madalene pleaded when she saw where they were headed.

"But you're squirming like a little fish." Buffy reasoned making a face at her.

"That's cause I'm trying to get away." The Spellcaster laughed as her every manoeuvre was countered.

"Ah but maybe the key to getting to let you go is for you to stop squirming like your a mermaid wanting to be back in the lake." Buffy reasoned laughing.

"You promise if I don't squirm you won't drop me?" Madalene checked looping her arms around Buffy's neck.

"I promise." Buffy nodded quickly.

"Okay." Madalene settled down as she smiled at the Slayer. "No more squirming."

"But I didn't promise I wouldn't do this." Buffy as with a laugh she relaxed her legs and dropped down into the water onto her butt. What the Spellcaster hadn't realised was that during their discussion Buffy had managed to wade out into the lake to about mind shin height.

"BUFFY!" Madalene screamed as they fell downwards and landed in the water causing a large wave to cascade up around them.

Midnight bounded around in the water close by them sending smaller waves over as the dog hopped and barked loudly.

"I can't believe you did that." Madalene sputtered as she flailed her arms a bit against the sopping wetness.

"Now isn't the time to tell me you're like the wicked witch of the wherever." Buffy snickered.

"I'm melting." Madalene laughed and pressed her hands to Buffy's shoulder's grinning as she shifted her body weight and pressed Buffy back so that she fell more into the water. "I'll get you my pretty and your little dog too!"

Buffy couldn't help but laugh as they were both drenched even more. Eventually she pushed up and carried Madalene effortlessly out of the lake with Midnight following happily beside them.

"I think we really need to go to Xander's now." Madalene laughed as they reached dry land again.

"Well I figured that Will and Tara shouldn't be the only ones to…" Buffy stopped herself as she realised what she was going to say.

"Have a fun afternoon." The Spellcaster filled in for her with smile and hint of red in her cheeks.

"Exactly." Buffy nodded though she knew 'get wet' had been the naughty thought that had come to her mind.

"There not going to be the only ones to get naked too." Madalene laughed bending down to put Midnight's leash back on. "We have to get out of these clothes before we catch a chill."

"No chills for you." Buffy smiled holding out a wet arm. "Let's get you to Xander's."

"I… Love… You." Tara said between the kisses that she was placing on random freckles on Willow's inner thigh.

"I... love you too." Willow giggled a little from the teasing.

So far Tara had pretty much kissed every freckle on Willow's body she was sure and she knew there was a lot of them. The redhead's hips were wiggling against the bed as she carried out her mission, rocking almost absently as they both became even more aroused then she thought was possible.

"You have the most kissable skin." Tara revelled as she swapped thighs.

"Mmmm you have the most kissable kissing lips." Willow breathed out hardly hearing the little constant noises of pleasure she was emanating between words.

Her body trembling with pleasure, Tara pressed her lips quickly and gently against the dark cotton covering the apex of Willow's legs, before moving off to kiss a freckle just next to the waistband of the panties.

"Baby!" Willow pushed the word out in a low thick voice long after the quick kiss.

"Sorry." Tara apologised quickly wondering if she had done something wrong.

"Oh God no sorry." Willow shook her head her hips moving in a circle. "Just… Mmmm feels..." She didn't really finish.

"Good." Tara breathed pressing her lips back onto the cotton again.

"Oh baby." Willow let out a staggered heavy breath as her hips pressed up.

"This." Tara breathed pulling back and not even waiting for permission she eased the small cloth barrier down and pressed her lips back onto soft red hair. "This was my favourite." She breathed kissing over and over in delicate soft patterns.

"Yesssssssssss." Willow moaned as the hot recesses of her body were exposed to the air and greeted with tender kisses.

Tara felt herself smirk into the kisses as she breathed in through her nose, letting her full senses embrace everything that was Willow. Kissing slowly lower Tara eased her tongue briefly out and slid it over soft skin. Under the attention Willow shifted her legs further apart, her hands going out to grip the bedclothes.

"Oh Willow." Tara breathed shifting lower to kiss along Willow's thigh briefly.

"Oh Tara... baby..." Willow's breathing was erratic as she rocked her hips harder against the bed.

Tara trailed her tongue along and the with a long sigh she pressed her lips lightly over the soft wet centre of Willow's arousal and then tasting the love that was there pressed them even harder to her lover. The redhead's response to the move was immediate and almost desperate as she pressed up arching off the bed. Easing her tongue out between her lips, for the first time that lifetime she drew her tongue over Willow's inner lips and impassioned by the flood of sensation Tara pressed her tongue in further.

"Tara." Willow whispered the blonde's name as the sensation made her legs quiver.

"Willow." Tara breathed panting alternating between kissing and licking within the redhead's wetness.

"Love you." Willow moaned her body arching and writing under the motions that swept across her aroused centre.

"Oh yes." Tara moaned focusing on drawing her tongue over and over her lover's skin, pressing in slightly and drawing her hand up along Willow's thigh, skimming her fingers over to thread lightly through short curled hairs.

Willow was reduced to wordless moans as her body reacted to each touch with an overwhelmed feeling of pleasure. Tara nuzzled in closer, hungry, and consumed with passion for her beloved. Overwhelmed by the sensation of this wildly exciting element of lovemaking she latched lightly onto engorged flesh and sucked gently. The swell of pleasure in her own body made her moan as her hips pressed against the edge of the bed rhythmically in time with Willow's.

"Tara!" Willow cried out passionately at the increased sensation as her hips flared open and her hand swept over blonde hair.

In response Tara sucked harder, guiding her fingers down to stroke as her tongue had through the growing wetness. As the redhead's body moved harder against the friction she was reluctant to give up the treasure in her lips at any price and moved to keep up with her lover.

"Yes, yes..." Willow panted her eyes squeezed closed as her body went taunt.

Tara's lips and fingers continued their strong rhythmical movements through Willow's tension until finally she let a finger glided inside her lover to push in against tight muscles. Releasing the nub of nerves with a groan as she did so before drawing her tongue fast and repeatedly though the full length of Willow's body.

The redhead matched the sensual groan as her body fluttered back down onto the mattress, every fibre of her sinking into the pleasure that Tara was giving her.

"I love you." Willow whispered out as she arched up onto her shoulders, her hips now moving in small jerks against Tara's mouth and hand.

"I love you." Quickly Tara pressed her wet hair from her forehead and bent down again to continue to lap Willow's essence, swirling her tongue around and over hot skin.

Those were the last words that Willow managed as she was reduced to an erratic series of moans and pants before her body finally stiffened again.

"Tara!" She screamed out the blonde's name loudly as her insides flared in spasms of fiery desperate release.

"Yes baby, yes." Tara encouraged sliding her slender finger out and replacing her hand with her lips and tongue tenderly licking and drawing out Willow's pleasure. Her hands stroked up Willow's sides in an effort to relax and soothe her lover.

The redhead's body shivered under the touch until she finally sunk spent against the blankets.

Using broad soft strokes Tara smoothed her hands over Willow's sides and over her stomach as she kissed and licked slower before finally pulling back. Moving swiftly up the bed she nestled in on her side beside Willow.

"I'm glad the park is the other side of town." She kissed Willow's nose lightly.

"Mmmm." Willow didn't say or do much other than limply turning and snuggling against her lover's body.

"You're beautiful." Tara enclosed Willow in her arms stroking one hand up and down her arm. "So beautiful." She whispered in awe.

Madalene looked down at the puddle growing around where she and Buffy stood, knowing that if they didn't get in soon that Xander was going to have a very visible dried mud mark on the speckled grey stone outside his door.

"I'm not sure you can come in. Xander isn't here and you smell like a pond. Not to mention the three of you are dripping wet and the carpets are new." Anya stood holding the door open, almost standing guard over the entrance to Xander's new apartment.

"Hi Anya, we thought you'd be at the Magic Box." Madalene held up the key ring trying to explain. "We already got the key from Xander."

"Oh." Anya looked a little surprised before she scowled. "Well I was just here bringing flowers." She pointed back to one large vase of white roses that was on a small table in the hallway and another that was on the barren dining room table just visible through the kitchen. "A new house should have flowers."

"They're lovely." Madalene smiled at the effort she was making. "If we promise not to make a mess would you mind us drying off here?" She questioned not wanting to step on any toes.

"You can do anything he lets you here, I don't live her." Anya grabbed her handbag from the kitchen counter and then shuffled out of the apartment letting them enter. "You can tell him you brought them."

"Anya..." Madalene stopped her. "I think he should know you brought them." She smiled softly at the demon.

"Like I care if he knows that." Anya tried to cover her true intentions and feelings.

"We know you care Anya." Buffy put in as the vengeance demon began walking away. "Now go, you're losing money." She encouraged seeing Anya turn back to smile at her.

"She's so cute trying to act like she doesn't care." Madalene laughed as she led Midnight carefully through the hall into the kitchen. "I think it's best we keep her in here until we can get a towel, it'll be easier to clean the tiles."

"Definitely." Buffy agreed glancing around the small but stylish ceramic kitchen. The stainless steel appliances shimmered and gleamed from the sunlight coming in from the large windows in the dining room.

"Do you ant to stay with her while I get a towel?" Madalene questioned pulling off her shoes and placing them on the mat by the door.

"Sure." Buffy knelt down beside the wet dog awaiting the witch's return, humming happily to herself.

It only took a few minutes before Madalene returned her wet hair tied up and her wet clothes exchanged for a bright green towel that was wrapped around her naked body.

"Here this one looks ratty I don't think Xander will mind us using it on the dog." She held the old fraying beach towel out for Buffy.

"Thanks." Buffy took it and rubbed it over Midnight's wet fur. "You're not gonna get cold like that are you?" She asked her voice concerned.

"You know Xander better, I figured you could raid whatever clothes he's moved over and find us stuff to borrow." Madalene admitted.

"I don't know, the green towel is kinda you." Buffy grinned rubbing Midnight's head as she leaned back taking a better look at the Spellcaster. "It wouldn't take too long for our gear to dry off, especially not when we can't go home for a few hours."

"Isn't this a little more revealing than my normal outfits?" Madalene laughed as she looked down at herself.

"Well there is that, but Mads you have the figure so you don't have to worry about covering it up all the time." She pointed out.

"Charmer." Madalene blushed and turned. "I'll get you a towel too."

"Anything but green!" She called brightly.

Madalene laughed as she went back down the hall picking out a dark navy towel from the linen closet.

"This do?" She came back and held it up. "We can put the clothes in the dryer to and at least we can get us home dry though slightly dirty."

"Perfect." Buffy nodded pushing up and pulling off her wet jacket and sweater.

"Here wet things." Madalene put the towel on the counter and held out her arms.

"Thanks." Buffy handed them over and unlaced her jeans pushing them down her legs.

"Um Buffy." Madalene tried to ball up the wet clothes as the jeans were added to the pile. "You might want to give me the bra too."

"The bra?" Buffy reached for the towel glancing down. "Oh God sorry." She grabbed the dark navy material and held it up against her. "I so didn't mean to ... you know with the wet bra."

"No, I just… I figured if were going to get dry you shouldn't stay in anything still wet." Madalene shook her head.

"No completely." She shifted one hand under the towel and handed over the wet item before wrapping the towel more securely around herself.

"Come on then underwear." Madalene laughed holding the bundle. "No point getting shy now." She laughed again though a bit higher pitched.

"True." Buffy laughed wiggling slightly before presenting Madalene with her thong. "That's me done."

"Well you're easy to get naked." The Spellcaster laughed again trying to act natural as she padded back towards the small laundry room.

"You too!" Buffy called after her.

"I'll make you buy me dinner for that comment." Madalene teased as she loaded up the dryer and put it on.

"Hey I've given you dinner every night for months." Buffy taunted back.

"Oh... now I see how it is." Madalene padded back into the living room that actually didn't have anything other than a small burgundy leather couch. "You want some sorta payment?"

Buffy got Midnight settled on the towel in the kitchen with a bowl of water before joining Madalene in the living room. She slowly walked up to her and took the Spellcaster's hands in her own.

"You gave me back Tara, my best friend and so much more. I could never ask you for anything else." She said sincerely.

"Buffy, thank you but I was kidding." The Spellcaster smiled sweetly at her. "I know you would never demand anything."

"Oh right." Buffy dropped her hand. "Okay feeling like an idiot now." She admitted blushing slightly as her head dropped forward.

"Hey." Madalene shook her head. "No Buffy sad face, it was an absolutely lovely thing to say." She reached and rubbed her hand down Buffy's arm.

"But a real mood killer when you were just joking eh?" Buffy didn't perk up.

"Didn't kill the mood. Buffy I feel more like I have a home and people who know me than I have since I can ever remember." She reached her hand over guiding the Slayer's face up. "A big part of that is you and I don't ever thing you saying something as nice as that to me kills any mood."

"Mads I wanted to talk to you about something." Buffy moved slightly and sat down on the floor arranging her towel as best she could.

"Anything." Madalene moved down a bit more gracefully to sit cross-legged.

"I don't want you to think I've been going behind your back and I meant to talk to you earlier about all this but it just never came up." Buffy began sounding a little flustered.

"Okay." The intro made Madalene slightly uneasy.

"It's…" Buffy began and stopped again. "I've..." The Spellcaster watched her struggle with the words feeling more concerned by the moment. "Madalene this has nothing to do with me and it's going to sound like its coming at you completely left field." She eventually seemed to gather her courage.

"Okay." Madalene nodded.

"Do you think you might be gay? Have been gay. Could be possibly?" She blurted out giving a crooked frown.

The Spellcaster hung with a look of confusion for a moment before she broke out in hysterical laughter as Buffy watched on concerned by the reaction.

"You had me so worried." Madalene tried to get her laughter under control. "I had no idea what you were going to say but it was like this hugely scary looming worry." She giggled. "Sorry... I think yes." She tried to answer finally.

"Could be, were or are?" Buffy pushed.

"Am, was... I mean not that I've been with anyone since I rose but even Xander pointed it out to me." Madalene smiled her head tilted a bit. "Oh my Goddess!" Her face fell as she looked at the Slayer.

"What?" Buffy looked up shocked.

"I was joking before... in the kitchen... you didn't think..." She went a very deep red.

"Oh God no." Buffy laughed and shook her head. "Mads I fully believe if you are, were, whatever a lesbian you'd be one with taste." She laughed lightly.

"Okay what is that supposed to mean?" The Spellcaster's embarrassment subsided. "You are absolutely beautiful Buffy, I'd have no taste if I didn't hit on you." She stated honestly.

"You never have." Buffy looked over to her pointing out the obvious fact.

"Well yes... but that's because I know your not gay." Madalene offered softly as she put her hands in her lap.

"Oh." Buffy looked down. "And apparently that's obvious isn't it, because hell even Xander can tell."

"Buffy." Madalene watched the Slayer's reaction not quite sure what to take from it. "I don't think Xander's the superior judge on all things gay or not gay and I more assumed, which is to my detriment, that you were because you've only ever mentioned guys."

"Okay a fair enough assumption." Buffy seemed to shake it off. "Last odd question I promise." The slayer shifted slightly as she eased the topic of conversation away from herself.

"You can have more than one if you want." Madalene tried to make her feel more comfortable. "Though can I ask you one back afterwards?" She checked softly.

"Yeah sure." Buffy nodded.

"So your question?" Madalene encouraged.

"Does the name Sarah mean anything to you?" Buffy asked looking up for any reaction.

"Sarah?" The Spellcaster repeated the name trying to make it sound natural but her voice squeaked this had been the last thing in the world she expected the Slayer to bring up.

"Yes Sarah." Buffy nodded glad to have finally asked the question that had been resting inside her for over a month.

"I... Um..." Madalene fluttered around words as she tried to form something clear. "I'm not sure."

"You can think about it, take your time, it's not a trick question it's just an honest one." Buffy tried to underline.

"I have dreams about a girl with red hair named Sarah." The Spellcaster admitted in a small voice pushing back to lean against the bottom of the sofa.

"I knew it." Unlike the Spellcaster Buffy seemed excited by this news. "Mads this is great." She shifted forwards and reached for Madalene's hand.

Before Buffy could continue, she looked down in a flash response to the ice-cold feel of Madalene's hand in her own. The words she had been about to say got lost especially as the brunette continued.

"I have nightmares too." She whispered curling her lips in slowly to moisten them.

"Nightmares?" Buffy whispered.

"Of us dying." Madalene's head slowly tilted down and the happy picture that Buffy had created in her head of a joyous reunion between Madalene and her long lost lover Sarah shattered into a million pieces as the Spellcaster spoke.

"You and Sarah dying together?" Buffy whispered just to clarify it in her head.

"We were on a bus, the truck horn woke me up. Then it hit us and everything shattered. I remember being pulled away from her, seeing the metal close up around her then it all goes cold." Madalene's icy hand shook inside Buffy's grip.

"It's just a dream Mads." Buffy reached out and pulled the Spellcaster to her, closing her arms around her and rocking her close. "Just a dream." She whispered knowing all too vividly what that feeling of cold and horror was like.

"I don't think it is." The Spellcaster felt tears pour out over her cheeks. "It started after the night I went drinking, after the diaries... I think its real." Her voice caught as she tried to talk.

"Memories?" Buffy breathed horrified.

"I dream about making love to her and then I watch us die." Madalene shivered head to toe.

"Has it happened since then? Since the night of the diaries?" Buffy had to know.

"A couple of times a week." Madalene hung her head more. "I haven't told anyone, I didn't want them to worry. Especially Tara, you can't tell Tara." She looked up hoping the Slayer would agree.

"I won't tell Tara, but Mads, you should have told me." Buffy whispered tenderly.

"I didn't want to worry you, not after that stupid night. I thought maybe it was just because of my kalum being drained." She tried to explain then stopped. "How did you know about Sarah?" She blinked puffy eyes at the Slayer.

"That night, you said the name Sarah a couple of times." Buffy replied honestly.

"Did I say anything else? Anything that might tell you who she was?" Madalene questioned immediately only to see Buffy shake her head sadly.

"Hence the question. I should have asked sooner. I'm sorry." The Slayer frowned.

"No it's not your fault, I'm sure it was hard to bring up." Madalene soothed reaching up to wipe her cheeks. "Nothing that can be done about it now anyway. I don't remember anything else really, just flashes, none of it makes much sense."

"It's okay, you don't have to think about this." Buffy rocked Madalene even though she had made the attempt to dry her face.

"I've been trying not to but it's hard." She admitted leaning closer to Buffy.

"I can talk to Giles see if there's some way he can help." Buffy vowed. "You should come get me, if you have a nightmare." She added. "You shouldn't be alone."

"You need your sleep, you don't get that much as it is." Madalene contradicted.

"That's not the point." Buffy shook her head. "Promise me, you will come get me if it happens again."

"Yes is the only answer you're going to take isn't it?" Madalene gave her a tiny smile.

"Yes." Buffy underlined.

"Okay, I promise." The Spellcaster's smile grew more.

"Thank you." Buffy didn't release her for a long moment

"I hope you know I didn't keep it a secret because I didn't want to tell you." She checked. "I just didn't want everyone worrying about it."

"I get that." Buffy nodded. "But you're one of us Mads, we worry about you anyway."

"I worry about all of you too." Madalene offered back immediately.

"I owe you a question." Buffy eased her grip and leaned back slightly. "You can ask it any time."

"What?" Madalene blinked for a moment then laughed lightly. "Oh no, it seems totally silly now."

"Then you can save it or ask it anyway. We're wrapped in odd coloured towels in Xander's new apartment how non silly is that anyway?" Buffy presented her options.

"Was my assumption wrong?" Madalene voiced the question in a gentle tone.

For the longest time Buffy just thought about her answer and then looked at the Spellcaster seeming to carefully contemplate just how she would answer.

"I've only ever dated men." She replied. "But I'm still young." She grinned at her own words.

"Lots of chances to try new things." Madalene's mouth curled up into a grin as well.

"Just please stop me from redoing the old vampire with a soul." Buffy laughed.

"Deal." Madalene nodded.

"Male or female." She clarified with a chuckle.

"No vampires period, got it." Madalene laughed. "Demons of either sex?"

"Never tried one." Buffy shook her head.

"Are they on or off the list?" Madalene laughed more.

"Well baring horns, demonically evil plots to rule the world, and biologically incompatibility I can't think of a reason to exclude them." Buffy laughed harder.

"Wow you're such a romantic." Madalene shook her head laughing.

"Willow sweetie, the phone's ringing." Tara shifted slightly and lifted the redhead's hand off her breast to slide out from under the covers.

"Mmmm tell them to go away." Willow grumbled as she was moved and she reached down pulling at the thin sheet to try to keep her from moving.

"It could be important." Tara smiled at her lover's attempt but managed to wiggle away.

"Okay but if its not important hang up." Willow grinned snuggling on her stomach against the mattress.

"How am I going to know without actually talking to them?" Tara padded over and pulled her robe off the back of the door slipping it on.

"Mmmm okay, but only cause you're so beautiful." Willow smiled at her in the doorway.

"Do you want anything from downstairs while I'm gone?" Tara quizzed gently.

"Surprise me." Willow encouraged. "And hurry back."

Still laughing softly Tara hurried down the stairs, winding her way into the kitchen so she could pick up the phone.

"Summers et. All can I help you?" She said brightly but was slightly surprised as the receiver clicked dead after her brief greeting. "Oh well." She shrugged gently hanging up the phone.

Busying herself for a moment in the kitchen, the blonde witch then hurried back up the stairs to where she knew Willow was waiting.

"I brought you water." She said as she pushed the door open.

"Perfect." Willow rolled with the sheet draped over her. "Who was it?" She smiled slightly more conscious then she had been.

"I'm guessing a wrong number, they hung up." Tara explained carrying over Willow's water and passed it to her as she perched lightly on the edge of the bed.

"Weird." Willow brushed it off taking a long sip. "You want to share?" She held the glass up.

"Mmmm thank you." Tara took the glass and had some. "I brought the little packet of grapes I bought for Dawn's lunch too, she forgot them." The blonde reached into the pocket of her robe and pulled out the small cellophane packet containing about ten grapes.

"She always forgets the fruit, I bet she took extra cookies." Willow laughed and leaned further over. "Are you coming back to bed?" She played with the tie on Tara's bathrobe.

"It's nearly one o'clock Will, we've been in bed since all day." Tara chuckled but leaned in a little.

"Yes, but we know we have the house to ourselves all day." Willow pointed out pulling on the cord.

"Mmmm all day?" Tara purred. "We could have a bath."

"Mmmm that would be nice. You want me to run it for you?" The redhead pulled up to sit a bit.

"But that would make me feel like a pampered princess." Tara watched her lover.

"That's exactly how you should feel." Willow leaned the short distance forward and gave her lover a slow kiss. "I'll go start the bath Princess."

"I'll get the bed ready for afterwards." Tara winked.

More than happy with the idea Willow padded slowly into the bathroom still feeling very flush from their recent lovemaking. Leaning down she turned on the water, tucking back the shower curtain as she sampled the shampoos and bubbles nearby adding a mixture of strawberries and jasmine to the water.

She moved to the cupboard pulling out some small white tea lights that she scattered around the room before carefully lighting them. It didn't take long for the tub to fill up and she turned off the water going back to find Tara.

Tara was just finishing tucking the dark chocolate brown satin sheets into her side of the bed and bundling the dirty sheets into a ball for the laundry as Willow came back into the room.

"Something smells nice." She turned and smiled at her lover.

"The bath." The redhead grinned. "Has to be for my satin princess." She motioned to the sheets on the bed.

"I bought them when I brought the dress." Tara paused and blushed slightly. "I sound like a real schemer don't I?" She almost sounded ashamed.

"You do, but in a good way." Willow grinned and walked closer. "I'm sorry I haven't schemed more." She admitted circling her arms around Tara's waist.

"I love you." Tara breathed gazing into green eyes.

"I love you Princess." Willow breathed back. "Now I hate to hug and run but our bath is getting cold."

"Can't have that." Tara shook her head. "Lead on."

Willow slipped her hand down taking Tara's so that they could retrace their way to the bathroom.

"You want front or back?" She whispered taking some towels off the rack and moving them closer to the bathtub.

"Mmmm front." Tara decided. "Unless you'd rather have front."

"No, no I don't mind." Willow smiled and stepped in sighing at the hot temperature of the water as she sunk down into it.

"Is it nice in there?" Tara slid the robe off her body and watched the redhead settle into the tub.

"Not as nice as when you get in." Willow splashed the water a little.

"Oh I don't know I might just sit here and watch." Tara perched on the edge of the tub.

"But I'm lonely." Willow's bottom lip stuck out as she played with a bubble.

"You don't look lonely you look bubbly." Tara reached her hand into the water and splashed some up onto Willow's tummy.

"Lonely and bubbly." Willow slid her hand over in the water and up Tara's forearm.

"Lonely, bubbly and sexy." Tara grinned as she trailed bubbles up across Willow's body.

"Exactly." The redhead smiled her cheeks flush from the warm water and the attention.

"You know you are just too sexy." Tara knew she couldn't resist Willow anymore as she eased herself into the tub but she didn't turn to lean on the redhead, instead she knelt on her knees in the tub facing her.

"Mmmm not as sexy as you." Willow smiled as Tara somewhat settled in the water.

"I'm not sexy, I'm Tara." She chuckled leaning forward kissing Willow's nose.

"Sexy Tara." Willow reached her wet hands up to rest on the blonde's hips. "Is it too hot for you?" She questioned when Tara stayed perched on her knees.

"It's perfect and that's Princess Sexy Tara to you." The blonde beamed leaning forward pushing Willow back to the back of the bath. She pressed her body tight to her lover's as the water spilled over the edge of the tub.

"Oh Princess Sexy Tara." Willow whispered out her voice heavy as their bodies fitted together.

"Too heavy?" Tara checked placing light kisses on Willow's neck.

"Never, light as a princess should be." Willow eased her arms around Tara's body fully.

"Good day?" Tara asked leaning her body fully against Willow's letting the water gently lap up and over her back.

"Best day." Willow smiled happily.

"What do you want?" Christian opened the door and stepped back out of the way as an average sized man with short red hair and a short man with a buzz cut walked into his apartment.

"Not the friendliest of greetings Christian." Josh didn't hesitate as he walked in and sat down in one of the dark brown leather chairs in the sitting room.

"Well maybe I'm not feeling that friendly." Christian followed the pair and went forward to the window standing by the large single pane window looking at them.

"But you had a great night partying." Josh leaned forward and picked up the newspaper from off the coffee table. Reading the headlines briefly he threw it back onto the glass top. "We'd have expected your mood to have improved a little."

"Yeah well with you it hasn't." The reply was curt.

"Chris really, you're not helping." Jay looked at the tall young man with a sympathetic smile.

"Neither are you." Christian replied regarding the smaller man with not so much a smile as a snarl.

"We have jobs to do here Christian." Josh interjected.

"Had jobs to do, I quit remember." Christian pointed out.

"Quentin isn't going to accept that though and you know it." He shook his head.

"To be frank Josh, what my grandfather does or doesn't accept isn't my concern, the fact is I resigned. I don't want anything to do with what he's doing or what he plans to do. Close the door on your way out." Christian dismissed them and walked off towards the kitchen.

Sharing a quick glance between each other Josh and Jay walked to the door.

"We'll be in touch." He stated in a low tone before slipping out.

-x-

Madalene leaned against the tree watching as Buffy ran back and forth with Midnight. The sudden ring of the school bell inside the building beyond signalled that it shouldn't be long until Dawn came out.

"Are you sure she comes out this way?" She questioned seeing the open air concept of the high school.

"Yeah, that is I think so." Buffy replied laughed as she played with Midnight.

"Can I try something?" Madalene offered looking at the building.

"Something being?" Buffy arched an eyebrow.

"Calling her." Madalene smiled and tapped her head.

"Oh I don't know about that Mads, I mean…" Buffy looked very unsure.

"No worries just an idea." The Spellcaster kept her smile.

"Sorry, it's just, I like to try and pretend Dawn's a normal kid sometimes, you know." Buffy admitted.

"Of course she is." Madalene nodded.

"You think I'm crazy don't you?" Buffy walked the dog over to the Spellcaster.

"Why would I think that?" Madalene looked at her confused.

"She's a magic ball of energy that monks turned into a girl, who has a sister who is the Slayer who came back form the dead, twice, has a friend who was a quiet little computer geek who turned into a revenge filled super witch, her lesbian lover who was the best thing that happened to her for ages who is then shot, and Dawn finds, staying with her for five hours until we get home and find them," Buffy took a breath "Only to then have her come back from the dead. Add to that Anya the vengeance demon friend, and Giles the watcher, and then have me say - I just want her to be a normal kid." She shook her head. "Crazy." She assessed.

"Buffy..." Madalene pushed off the tree and walked over bending down next to the slayer. "Dawn is your sister, big ball of whatever doesn't matter. I don't look at her and think big ball of energy, I think Dawn. That you want to protect her and let her have a 'normal' life isn't something that is crazy, it's something wonderful. Especially with all that has gone on that would make it so easy just to give up."

"Hey guys! Midnight!" Dawn's voice squeaked and the teenager landed in a less than neat pile on the other side of the dog. "Oh wow what are you doing here." She dropped kisses on the dog's fur.

"We're picking you up from school silly." Madalene smiled at the teenager. "Wow you should be more embarrassed." She teased.

"Nah, I mean its cool." Dawn stood up and took Midnight's lead off Buffy. "Most people think Buffy's my mom." The Spellcaster couldn't help starting to giggle.

"Oh okay, enough, lets go." Buffy hurried them off.

Dawn giggled.

"I think she's pissed off." Madalene looped her arm into Dawn's as the Slayer tracked ahead.

"Nah she loves it really." Dawn laughed her voice deliberately loud.

"Be nice, she was going to let you pick the dishes from the Chinese take out." Madalene warned giggling more.

"We're having take out, cool." Dawn perked up. "We have to get that mushroom thing, Tara loves it."

"Actually we're going to head over to the magic box for a bit then to Xander's. Willow and Tara wanted to have the house to themselves for a bit." Madalene tried to be diplomatic.

"Means you're stuck with me and your sister."

"They do?" Dawn jumped up in the air and clapped several times.

"Oh my god that is so great. Are we staying over?"

"No, just out late." Madalene laughed at the display.

"Late, late though right?" Dawn checked. "Because you know I've seen these two in make up smoochies before." She grinned.

Just ahead of them Buffy turned around walking back up to them, she stared at her sister.

"Dawn please!" She hissed.

"She's just teasing you Buffy." Madalene laughed at the slayer's reaction.

"Well she should know better." Buffy huffed.

"I think your sister needs some chocolate." Madalene laughed moving over to loop her arm into Buffy's and draw her down the sidewalk.

Dawn hung back with the dog.

"So do you want your chocolate in the form of ice cream or truffles?"

"I don't need chocolate." Buffy grumbled slightly glancing at the Spellcaster.

"You don't fool me grumpy girl, I think you need ice cream. You up for ice cream dawn?" She checked with the teenager.

Dawn gave a quick nod.

"I'm not grumpy." Buffy denied with a soft smile. "I just don't think Dawn should be so, I don't know casual about Willow and Tara."

"Why? She knows they are two people who love each other very much." Madalene encouraged softly.

"But there are things about that which are, you know, private." Buffy pointed out.

"Buffy..." Madalene leaned closer. "I don't really think Dawn's thinking past the wow they love each other bit, she's not going into intimate details."

Buffy laughed and shook her head.

"Great so now I feel that only I think about it, and I feel like Xander!"

"I'm out by default since Tara is my cousin." Madalene laughed lightly.

"You guys walk like old people." Dawn darted by with midnight leading her along. "I'll see you at the shop!" She called back.

"Not making me feel any better Mads." Buffy watched Dawn move off.

"How about I admit if it was anyone but Tara I'd be thinking about it too?" Madalene reassured her.

"Much better," Buffy laughed.

"Do you think we should stay out tonight?" She asked honestly.

"I don't think it would be a horrible idea." Madalene admitted. "They need time together, especially now that they have rediscovered that portion of their environment."

"We could maybe get some rooms at a hotel." Buffy offered.

"I think Dawn would love that." Madalene laughed. "As long as we can get movies in."

"I was thinking you know maybe her own room with her choice of movies." Buffy offered.

"She'd love that, especially if you let her invite a friend over." Madalene nodded.

"Would you be okay in a hotel? I mean you've just got use to home'." Buffy asked.

"It's only one night right?" The Spellcaster squeezed Buffy's arm. "Maybe it'll make me miss my bed more." She mused.

"I was thinking about that." Buffy admitted. "We should buy you a bed."

"I thought I had a bed?" Madalene questioned tilting her head.

"No you know, your bed, you had the bad pull out from the loft." Buffy shook her head.

"There are better things to spend money on." Madalene smiled at the idea.

"Can't think of a single one." She shook her head.

"You're incorrigible." Madalene laughed again.

"And this is news?"

"No, some of us know you better than you think." The Spellcaster stuck her tongue out at the Slayer.

"Come on you - you're buying ice-cream."

Willow couldn't wipe the smile from her face as she carried the blanket through to the living room to lay it out for their impromptu evening picnic. A call from Buffy had confirmed no one would be home that night, though thankfully everyone was safe.

"Did you get the blanket sweetie?" Tara's voice called from the kitchen.

"Yes, the cute pink flower one." Willow called back. "Do you need help?"

"No, I think I'm okay." Came the reply, quickly followed by a clatter of cutlery and a gentle curse.

"Baby, are you sure?" Willow smiled and moved back to the kitchen.

Tara looked up from her place on the floor as Willow entered the kitchen, on the floor were knives and spoons and a baguette. Tara had a pile of food tucked under her chin held with one arm she was using the other hand to try and recapture the bread.

"Thank you." Tara looked up grinning.

"Anything else we need out here?" Willow looked around to see if they were missing anything.

"I think that's everything, did you get the camping lamps?"

"All set up." the redhead nodded.

"Does it look nice?" Tara couldn't help but ask with an excited squeak.

"Very romantic." Willow leaned and kissed Tara lightly.

"I like romantic." Tara captured Willow's bottom lip lightly between her teeth pulling her back for a more lingering kiss.

Willow eagerly leaned into the kiss enjoying it.

"I'm going to drop the rest of this if we don't stop." Tara warned with a light moan.

"Mmmm I know." Willow smiled. "But we have a picnic, then we can have dessert." She winked.

"Kitchen floor to cold for you?" Tara wiggled her nose giggling.

"You said you were hungry remember." Willow teased back as they stood up. "For food." She cleared.

Tara laughed brightly.

"Are you sure I said the 'f' word." She asked with a wink.

"Positive." Willow snatched the butter dish from her. "I promise this will be worth it." She wiggled her way towards the living room.

Tara watched her for a moment, her eyes filled with love, chuckling gently to herself before following her lover.

The room was softly lit by three camping lanterns arranged in a vague triangle around a blanket in the middle where the coffee table usually was. The curtains were drawn closed protecting them from prying eyes and soft melodic music played in the background.

"Worth it?" Willow questioned gently as she laid out what she carried.

"Oh yes." Tara nodded, sparkles dancing in her eyes.

"Hey sexy want to have a picnic?" Willow sat down and leaned in what she hoped was an alluring way against the couch.

"I'd love one, but, aren't you waiting for some amazing woman to join you, I mean I cant have got lucky enough to have stumbled across a red haired goddess alone in a forest." Tara fluttered her eyelashes.

"I am waiting for someone, a gorgeous blonde haired princess." Willow held out her hand.

"Will I do." Tara closed her hand over Willow's after putting down her collection of things, she dropped gently down onto her knees.

"Watch is missy, no self disparaging comments." Willow looked at her with a little frown.

"I was just checking you still want me." Tara eased off her knees.

"Tara, I want you more than anything." Willow reached out both arms for her.

"I want you too." She moved in to hug the redhead.

"Then everything is perfect." Willow hugged her tight.

"It is." Tara shifted a little and reached out for the bread, tearing off a small corner.

"Can you believe Buffy got them hotel rooms?" Willow asked with a laugh as she took a piece of cut apple.

"I can't." Tara admitted. "It is so nice of them."

"Maybe Buffy will find her own romance." Willow giggled as she stole some bread.

"Are you thinking Christian?" Tara quizzed interested. "That was his name right?" She checked remembering she had been distracted by Willow most of the evening

"Probably more Buffy's type yes, but would it be so wrong if the whole world was getting happy gay love?' Willow giggled more.

"Oh no, not wrong at all." Tara shook her head. "Well, I'm not sure Xander would cope." She blushed and smirked.

"You think your cousin would show her the ropes?" Willow smirked back barely able to stop laughing again.

"I think it would be more of a case of learning as they went." Tara winked again.

"Oohhh so you think it could happen?" Willow saw the wink.

"Well I can hope." Tara smiled. "After all they both deserve to be happy."

"So I was right?" Willow grinned more.

"About Madalene?" Tara checked they were talking about the same thing.

"Not driving stick anymore." Willow remembered the phrasing that faith had used and that after awhile they used to find funny.

"I think, like me my cousin has had the good sense never to even touch a stick." Tara giggled blushing.

"You are soooooo cheeky!" Willow blushed too.

"No, if I was cheeky, I would have said I prefer the models that you can add stick if you want it." Tara felt her cheeks glow as she made the more than risqué comment.

Willow's mouth hung open before she giggled more.

"I almost feel worried for Buffy." The redhead laughed more.

"Oh sweetie, did I shock you." Tara laughed harder, reaching out a finger to ease Willow's jaw up.

"No, you get cheeky after lovin." Willow smiled and kissed Tara's hand.

"Really? Did I used to?" Tara asked intrigued

"Oh yes." The redhead nodded. "Well lovin makes me feel good." Tara admitted "I'm guessing cheeky me is happy me."

"Very much so." Willow nodded again. "The cheekier the happier."

"We're not eating very much." Tara glanced over to the food.

"Mmmm can I have some cheese please." Willow opened her mouth.

"Of course." Tara leaned out and began feeding her lover gently.

Madalene flipped her hair up into the small hotel towel as she came out of the steaming bathroom. She was slightly surprised to see the slayer laying in the middle of one bed watching TV.

"Did Dawn and Amanda kick you out?" She smiled at the slightly grumpy look Buffy had.

"They wanted to talk about 'boys' and I was asked to leave." Buffy grumbled

"Ahhh." Madalene came over and dropped on the bed next to her. "We can talk about boys if you want." She offered.

"I'm too old apparently." Buffy huffed

"That's ridiculous." Madalene shook her head. "Come on didn't you think the guy at the counter looked just like that guy from that band." She did her best impression of Dawn's rather exuberant friend.

"Please, please stop." Buffy shook her head, "One Amanda is enough for this particular slayer. I KNOW I was never like her even when I was sixteen."

"I bet you were adorable." Madalene smiled.

"I wasn't actually." Buffy shook her head

"Okay beautiful, sheesh fish for a compliment." Madalene teased.

Buffy laughed.

"I was a mixed up kid who saw vampires worse, that staked vampires! Perfect dating material."

"I bet the boys were lining up to date you." Madalene leaned on her side. "And all the girls secretly had crushes on you."

"No I think most of the girls had crushes on Cordelia, and Xander had a crush on me." Buffy laughed "And then dated Cordelia."

"And who did you have a crush on?" Madalene questioned.

"Angel." Buffy shifted on the bed slightly, "Not that that was a crush," She shook her head

"I'm sorry for everything that happened." The Spellcaster offered not knowing if it was the right thing to say. "Dawn told me a bit." She tried to explain.

"I'm beginning to think there is a clause in the prophecy that dooms any romance I dare to start." Buffy laughed though the sound was hollow

"I don't think so, you'll find the perfect person for you I just know it." Madalene put her hand on Buffy's arm supporting.

"I thought he was." Buffy admitted distantly "I really did."

"I guess we don't always get to be with our first choice." The spellcaster admitted softly.

"What happened to our fun night at a hotel?" Buffy looked at Madalene with a sad smile.

"We're getting our selves a reason to order room service." Madalene reached out and tickled her.

Buffy tried to evade the attack and slipped a little, catching hold of the spellcaster and for a moment threatening to topple off the edge of the bed bringing the dark haired woman with her. Her other arm flailed for a moment trying to catch hold of something that would stop their fall.

"Buffy!" Madalene squealed as she first felt the Slayer tumbling away and then felt herself going with her. She squeezed her eyes tight trying to grab the slayer as suddenly their fall stopped.

It took Buffy a second or two to realise that they're neither hit the floor nor remained on the bed but were instead suspended between the two objects.

"Nice trick." Buffy grinned at the spellcaster

"Yeah how did you catch us?" Madalene opened her eyes her body leaned down onto Buffy's.

"I think you caught us." Buffy pointed out, "What happens if I let you go."

"I don't know, I didn't know I could do this." Madalene admitted softly. "maybe I could try..." She concentrated and they slowly lowered down to the floor. "Better?" She smiled.

"Perfect." Buffy's voice dropped low for a moment as she looked up into Madalene's eyes. Her senses suddenly acutely aware of so much. The fresh warm smell of the other woman's body, the hint of hotel shampoo from the stray dark hairs that slid out of the towel wrapped around Madalene's head, the rapid but regular beat of the spellcaster's heart. The gentle press of the other woman's body against her own as she breathed in and then the slight feeling of loss when it moved away as she breathed out.

Madalene smiled at Buffy's response her eyes poised to look directly into the hazel ones before her giving her a perfect view as they dilated slowly. She felt her own breath pass between them, noticing now how her weight rested on the Slayer's.

Buffy cleared her throat trying to change her focus.

"I think the room service menu is up on the unit."

"Yes, let me get it." Madalene swallowed and moved her hands to the side so she could press her self up enough to shift up and sit on the bed.

"Are you okay, I mean I didn't hurt you when I pulled you down like that did I?" Buffy scooted backwards as soon as she was able and pushed up to stand.

"No, no don't be silly." Madalene reached up pulling the towel off her hair and flicking it into a nearer pile over her shoulder.

"Shatter proof remember." She looked at Buffy. "Are you sure I didn't hurt you?"

"No, slayer strength and protection." She shook her head laughing a little too quickly.

"I guess we're both fine then." Madalene reached up to fidget with her hair again.

"Fine, yeah." Buffy nodded swinging her arms a little in front and behind her, letting her hands catch hold of each other as she swung them back, stretching out her back. "I should probably have a bath." She glanced at the bathroom. "Pond smells and all, do you think I should have warned Xander about the fact that wet dog smells linger for days?" She asked as she skirted round the room towards the bathroom door.

"I think he knows." Madalene nodded. "Oh did you want me to order something for when you're done?"

"Yeah, go for it." Buffy nodded, "Something tasty." she backed into the bathroom.

Buffy padded back into the main hotel room desperately trying to pull the draw string on the white and blue striped pyjama bottoms she had borrowed from Xander, tight enough so that they stayed on her hips.

"Trade you." Madalene laughed as Buffy came in still holding the string.

"What?" Buffy looked up from her task, pushing up the long sleeves on the top

"Because no matter how big they are they can't be worse than what Anya 'packed' for me." Madalene kept the cover up around her. "In fact I am wondering why I have even put it on, can you hand me the button down you were wearing."

"Mads," Buffy glanced over her shoulder at the shirt in question, "I wore that pre bath - it smells kinda doggy."

"I'm willing to take it." The spellcaster nodded.

"Oh come on it cant be that bad." Buffy smiled

"Buffy, remember Anya." Madalene blushed as she looked under the sheet

"Anya always looks fine. She gave Dawn the cutest little sleep short set."

"Okay you promise not to laugh if I show you."

"I wouldn't laugh, its not my style." Buffy vowed

Madalene stared at her.

"You promise."

"Slayers honour." She raised her fingers.

"Remember you promised." Madalene tentatively slipped her legs out and stood up. "Remember." She tried to smooth down the material. "I mean it covers the basics, just." She tried to get the wide V of the upper red satin tank top that split just below her breasts and flared down to show off her stomach to close up and cover more, while the small matching miniature boxing shorts flared up the sides with generous slips.

Buffy tried not to stare, but she wasn't she how successful she was, after all there was just so much to stare at!

"Wow!" She breathed, no trace of laughter, "It's er.." She struggled for something, anything coherent to say, "Very Anya." she decided on

"Mmmm so can I have your shirt?" Madalene tried to drag the V closed again.

"Are you really that uncomfortable?" Buffy frowned slightly, not wanting her friend to feel that for a moment.

"I don't really have the body or the attitude for this sorta thing." The spellcaster admitted.

"Attitude maybe." Buffy shook her head but padded over to get the shirt.

"Sorry?" Madalene blinked not understanding.

"Purely an attitude thing, there's nothing wrong with your body." Buffy explained glad she was turned away as for some reason she was blushing as she spoke.

"Well I guess as long as it's just you and me its' okay. I mean so that I don't smell up the room with wet dog." Madalene shrugged turning and reaching down to pick up the converter that had fallen off the dresser.

"You look fine Mads." Buffy dropped the shirt and turned round. To be presented with a perfect image of tiny shorts and a pert butt bending over to pick up the lost TV controller for a moment Buffy looked quickly away but then stole herself a quick second glance. She turned away again suddenly feeling guilty.

'Damn possessed by Xander's pants.' She joked to herself before quashing that particularly disturbing thought.

"Hopefully the room service will be here soon, but you are soo getting the door." Madalene stood back up and turned.

"I'll get the door." Buffy agreed sitting down on the bed.

"You look flushed after your bath was it too hot?" Madalene asked a bit worried as she sat back in bed and pulled the covers over her legs at least.

"I think maybe yeah." Buffy nodded, "Did anyone order par-boiled Slayer?" She laughed almost nervously.

"I didn't, I prefer you at the right temperature." The spellcaster laughed with her.

Buffy felt herself relax as her roommate laughed

"It's been a good day hasn't it." She said looking over at the dark haired woman.

"It has, a great day. Though I'm not sure I've totally forgiven you for dumping me in the lake." The Spellcaster laughed.

"Oh come on it was fun." Buffy reached out to poke her lightly.

"I owe you." Madalene pushed her hand playfully away to doge the poke.

"You know for a second there I was almost worried!" Buffy let her poke miss and then sat up properly again.

"Oh you so need to learn not to mess with the spellcaster." Madalene reached out to poke the slayer.

Buffy jumped and avoided the contact.

"I think you're the one who needs to watch what she's doing. Skimpy sleep wear Girl." She teased.

"Don't try to distract me." Madalene leaned more forward trying to poke her again. "I can so get you."

"You know I bet you had a sister!" Buffy squeaked, "'Coz you squirm just like Dawn can at times."

"If I did I used to totally get her like I'm going to get you." Madalene timed Buffy's next jump managing to throw herself at the slayer and pin her down on the bed. "Ha, see I win." She gloated.

Buffy reached up without thinking and gripped Madalene lightly around the waist

"You're a cheat." She chuckled shaking her head

"You giving up?" Madalene laughed reaching to tickle the slayer lightly.

"I'm..." Buffy slid her hands a little upwards and felt her thumbs slip off soft satin onto warm skin. "I'm..."

With an impossibly loud 'BUZZ' the room intercom buzzed just at that moment. Literally causing Buffy to jump The noise made Madalene jump with her and rather irrationally she tucked down startled against Buffy.

"It's okay." In a subconscious movement Buffy slid her hand up Madalene's back, cradling her gently. "It's just the door." She said softly

"I'm sorry." Madalene took a breath composing herself.

"It's okay." Buffy unwound her arm and released the spellcaster as the door buzzer sounded again

Madalene moved over to tuck herself under the covers out of view.

Buffy pushed out of the bed and moved to get the door. After a brief chat with the room service guy, Buffy turned and carried the tray had brought in.

"Room service." She said rather lamely

"Smells good." Madalene nodded smoothing out a spot on the bed. "Sorry about the jumpy." She added softly.

"It's okay, though are you alright?" Buffy asked gently

"Yeah, just didn't expect it." Madalene reached forward to take the lid off the tray.

"Yeah it was loud." Buffy tried a gentle smile.

"I'm such a wimp." The spellcaster reached for a glass of juice off the tray.

"No you're not, it was loud, and you know jumpy." Buffy shook her head trying to make the spellcaster feel better

"You didn't jump." Madalene smiled at the Slayer's attempt.

"I did." Buffy denied "Huge jumping happened."

"No, you did the tuck and cover the pathetic spellcaster. Much difference." Madalene pointed out.

"After I jumped." Buffy stressed "I jumped first, protected you second."

"You must have jumped so fast I missed it." Madalene laughed at her attempt to relate.

"Slayer speed." Buffy smirked

"You'll have to teach me that next time we do meditation." She picked up fork and the steamed vegetables with rice she'd ordered for herself.

"Sure." Buffy looked at the rest of the offerings choosing what she wanted

"How are you finding the meditations by the way?" Madalene questioned leaning back shifting her legs out of the blanket.

"Good, and Giles is more than happy that you are introducing discipline to my life again." Buffy nodded and grinned as she spied a ham and cheese sandwich

"I think Giles hopes I can put a spell on you so you behave." Madalene giggled.

"No chance." Buffy shook her head.

"Yes, I know it's your favourite." She noticed what the slayer was looking at. "With sprouts, no mayo."

"Superstar." Buffy picked it up and bit the corner with gusto

"Well how can I introduce order if I don't reward well." The spellcaster winked as she speared some broccoli.

"Don't you miss cheese and ham sandwiches?" Buffy asked as she munched

"I've never eaten meat." Madalene shook her head. "So nothing to miss really, you can eat my share."

"If you insist." Buffy nodded and ate on. "Do you think I should go and check that Dawn and Amanda have settled down?" She glanced up at the door

"Naw, let her enjoy the whole I'm at a hotel running wild." Madalene grinned.

"You don't think she is running wild?" Buffy looked briefly horrified

"No, besides I put a alarm on the door if they try to sneak out they'll momentarily think the hallways gone missing. First place they'll run is in here." The spellcaster laughed.

"Looks like I'm in for a relaxing night." Buffy beamed

"I do my best." Madalene smiled back.

A series of hard knocks on the front door, broke Tara rudely form her peaceful sleep. The blonde witch was lying curled around her redheaded lover, on the lounge floor. The semi eaten picnic surrounding the pair who had fallen into a comfortable snuggled sleep after feeding each other most of the fresh fruit salad.

"SLAYER!" Came a gruff call followed by more hammering

"Tara!" Willow jolted awake with a yelp.

"OPEN THE DOOR SLAYER WE KNOW YOU'RE HERE!" More harsh knocking followed the demand.

Tara's wide blue eyes flicked around the room quickly as she reached out to Willow.

"What's going on?" Willow eyes darted around as she tried to adjust to the dim light and pounding noise.

"I.. I don't know, someone's at the door I think. I could go and find out." Tara leaned and found Willow's arm gently pulling her lover towards her.

"No." Willow flinched and jumped as the door shook again.

"Maybe they'll go away." Tara curled herself around Willow protectively.

"Come on slayer or we'll burn it down!" The loud male voice called again.

"We have too... we have to do something." Willow tried to keep her body from shaking, she was still slightly sleepy and things weren't adding up right. She needed to focus.

Tara felt the slight shake in Willow's body and realised she had to take charge. Her lover wasn't strong enough to be the decider, to be the strong one in this. It was up to her. Up to her to take care of Willow, to protect and keep her safe.

"I'll deal with this." Tara pressed her lips against soft red hair briefly.

"No, baby..." Willow protested shaking her head.

"It's okay." Tara tried to assure her. She began to pull herself away from Willow and stand up.

"You're trying our patience Slayer!" Came the short gruff warning

Tara pulled herself up straight and tugged down the short top she was wearing, hoping it didn't look too much like the sleep shirt it was. Carefully she began to pick her way across the lounge towards the door.

"Open the door!" A banging came at the window

Taking a tight breath Tara flicked on the hall light and reached her hand up to the lock

"There better be a good reason for you waking up the neighbourhood." Tara demanded as she pulled the door open she felt her heart pounding with fear in her chest and her knees threatening to turn to jelly but she kept it together.

"Yeah we're going to kill you." The thick necked man at the doors face was crumpled into his vampire form. "Now come on out slayer and take it like a man."

"Do I look like a man to you." Tara tried hard to think of something Buffy might say.

"Fine." The vampire slammed one fist into the other palm. "Come out and take it like a woman then." He glanced back to the other two vampires with him. "Or we'll torch you out."

"And how do you plan to do that?" Tara bent one of her legs, trying to assume a 'casual' position

"With fire." He looked at her confused.

"You're vampires who play with fire?" Tara arched an eyebrow "Sorry for asking this, but doesn't that strike you as a little, "She paused, "Dense?"

"Ah Chuck we didn't bring any gasoline." One of the others shrugged.

"So you're vampires who play with fire, but forget the gasoline?" Tara shook her head, Oh no wait, maybe I can help you out with that problem." With a smile Tara lifted her hand, "Incendray." She whispered flicking her fingers out towards the so far silent vampire on the right.

The other two backed up as he lit up and burned away into a cloud of dust.

"Chuck how'd she do that?" Johnny stared at Tara surprised.

"You're not the slayer." Chuck backed up staring at her.

"I never said I was." Tara replied honestly "And you never asked." Tara moved her hand and pointed it towards 'chuck' "Now did you want anything else?"

"Tell the slayer the brothers are back in town and were coming to collect." he sneered then jumped back over the hedge followed closely by his friend.

As the pair moved away Tara backed up and pushed the door closed. Her hand shaking and her breath short. She laid her hand flat on the wood for a moment trying to steal herself some time and energy.

"Willow?" She asked after just the briefest moment she turned looking though into the lounge

"Tara?" Willow looked up over the arm of the couch.

"Oh baby are you okay." Tara pushed off the door and hurried back to her lover

"Are they gone?" Willow looked at the door scared.

"Yes, they've gone." Tara dropped down on her knees and offering her arms and body in comfort.

"What were they? What did they want?" Willow leaned over dropping against Tara's body her breathing uneven.

"They called themselves the Brothers of Pain, but they're gone now. It's okay, I wont let them hurt you." Tara pulled Willow into her lap and gathered her arms around her

"I'm sorry I should have done something." Willow gladly moved closer.

"you did everything you needed to." Tar dropped a kiss onto red hair "You stayed safe."

"I need to keep you safe." Willow pointed out.

"You do." Tara kissed her head again

"Should we call Buffy?" Willow looked up questioning.

"Would you feel safer if I did." Tara asked gently, aware that she might not be the person Willow looked to for safety yet.

"No, I meant to come stake them." Willow blinked again.

"They've gone." Tara gently underlined, "But I can still ring her."

"Do you think they'll come back?" Willow tucked her head against Tara's shoulder.

"I don't think so." Tara admitted, "Baby, really if you'd rather I called Buffy and she came home that's fine, I understand." She kissed Willow's head two more times.

"No, we're having a picnic." Willow looked down at their blanket. "We were having a good night." She smiled softly.

"Actually we were having a snooze." Tara grinned softly.

"Only cause we were worn out." Willow giggled

Tara blushed slightly

"Well you have been rather spectacular all day." She squeezed her gently again

"Not as spectacular as you." Willow squeezed back.

"You're kidding I was playing catch up some of the time." Tara chuckled

"When? You had me right where you wanted me." Willow wiggled her eyebrows.

"When I'm with you I'm right where I want to be." Tara underlined

"Me too." Willow nodded. "Safe with my Tara." She leaned closer licking her lips.

"Hey are those Willow lips looking for something?" Tara watched the redhead carefully.

"Tara lips. Willow nodded.

"Oh," Tara nodded and leaned a little closer. "What do they want to do to Tara lips?"

"Mmmm kiss." Willow whispered leaning closer.

"Are you sure?" Tara smoothed her hand over Willow hair, still concerned that the redhead wasn't okay.

"You said they're gone, I trust you." Willow nodded.

"I love you, I'm sorry it took me so long to ..." Tara began to apologise.

"Why? It was perfect." Willow stroked her hand down Tara's arm.

"Perhaps I should call Buffy, just so she knows." Tara doubted her confidence as she thought about the fact that she might be placing her lover in danger.

"Tara you might not remember but every time I was in danger, you found a way to save me. The demon gang, the gentlemen and a whole lot of others." Willow looked into blue eyes.

"I did?" Tara whispered.

"You did." The redhead nodded.

"Wow." Tara gave a slightly goofy smile.

"I love you." Willow leaned in and kissed her.

"mmmmmm I think I like hearing that." Tara kissed her back.

"I love you." Willow repeated the words in between kisses.

"Maybe I should tidy up the picnic."

"Then we could go up to bed." Willow smiled.

"You could go and get it ready for us." Tara offered

"Great idea." Willow nodded kissing Tara again before she disentangled herself to go upstairs.

"Willow." Tara called as she moved away. "I love you too."

"See you upstairs." The redhead smiled and then walked upstairs.

Tara watched Willow leave before moving, she glanced at the remains of the picnic and then back at the door. Standing up she crossed to the front door and eased it open trying not to make any sound that would alert or alarm her lover.

Stepping out into the slightly chilled night air she padded a little way down the front walk. Turning round she knelt lightly on the path facing the house. Dipping her head she closed her eyes and reached out her finger tracing a complex pattern on the stone as she whispered a chant under her breath.

As soon as she finished she drew her hand back and for the briefest fraction of a second a deep pink shimmer surrounded the house and then disappeared.

Looking up with bright blue eyes Tara looked up to the top floor.

"I wont let anything hurt you." She breathed, pushing up from the cold floor and slipping back into the house.

Madalene watched the television frowning as the movie scrambled itself the free preview ending just in the middle of a good scene.

"Do you want to order that one or try another?"

"Next!" Buffy laughed - she was lad back on the bed looking every bit the pampered princess with a bowl of chocolate peanuts balanced on her stomach and four pillows stuffed under her head.

"Here, Princess Buffy can control." Madalene reached the short distance putting the converter into Buffy's hand before she stole a peanut.

"What? You mean i have to choose?" Buffy frowned playfully "And hey - royal peanuts" she laughed.

"You're a princess, I'm a Queen I outrank you." Madalene teased laughing as she stole another peanut. "And I've tried three movies so far that you vetoed, you're turn to try and find one."

"Okay, but how do I work this thing? Just press the up and down arrows?" Buffy looked at the remote control, pointing it at the set and squeezing the 'up' arrow.

"Either or." Madalene nodded tucking her pillow under her head from her position on her side next to the slayer.

"Well which way did you go, oh no wait - this was one i vetoed wasn't it?" Buffy pointed at the screen.

"Yep, you said it was too cheesy." Madalene glanced up at the screen.

"Well come on it looks it. She's gonna seduce him, and its going to end horribly badly." Buffy pointed at the screen looking for agreement

"It might not."

"Okay choose a number between on and say, six." Buffy challenged

"Four." Madalene offered.

Buffy nodded and pressed the down arrow four times.

"And the witch picks." She stared at the screen waiting for the picture to clear,

The scene was fuzzy for a moment before it cleared as a sheen of pink, a cascade of blonde hair sliding by just as the 'main character' groaned and the camera panned out. The angle was slightly odd as a woman's hip came into view then her leg as her body pushed off what appeared to be a bed.

Buffy tipped her head slightly as her brain tried to process what she was seeing. Madalene actually felt her eyes go wider a she moved her head a little trying to see around the bowl on Buffy's stomach.

The movie was obviously past the point of having dialogue as the blonde woman moaned just as a darker tanned hand pressed up around her thigh drawing her leg down to expose curly long blonde hair to the camera

Buffy squeaked as she realised what it was that they were watching

"I'm sorry." She said fumbling with the controller only to drop it

"It's not your fault." Madalene scrambled to try and help her but only managed to tip the bowl of peanuts onto the bed as a loud moan echoed through the speakers of the TV.

"Volume, I'll hit the volume." Buffy scrambled up and managed to get a finger tip on the controller just as it slipped off the bed

With a louder squeak the slayer toppled off the bed peanuts spraying into the air as suddenly her weight bounced of the springs

"Buffy be careful." Madalene laughed as she was sprayed with chocolate treats and the slayer slid out of view.

There was a slightly dull thud followed by a brief

"ow" as she slayer hit the floor but neither the volume nor the channel changed.

"Are you okay?" Madalene pushed off the bed following her down to the floor where the Slayer was sprawled out.

"The controller went under the bed." Buffy pointed with one hand the other squished underneath her

"I'm more concerned with you." Madalene shook her head reaching to help untangle the slayer.

"I banged my chin." Buffy pointed out the red burn mark on it.

"The unit handle." Buffy pointed out the round brass handle.

"Ouchie." Madalene frowned as she checked to see there wasn't an abrasion. "Let me get some ice for you."

"No, no it's okay, I'll be fine." Buffy waved off the worry

"Good thing you're the slayer or we'd be having a fun night at the emergency." Madalene shook her head. "Just let me get some ice, humour me, I worry."

"Okay, I'll find the remote." Buffy nodded.

"Buffy, it's okay we're both adults." Madalene tried to be nonchalant as she stood up and picked up the ice bucket from the dresser.

"Maddy wait!" Buffy sat up quickly comically smacking her head off the dresser again

"What?" The spellcaster stopped and then gasped as Buffy hit the blunt object. "Buffy!" She rushed back over and dropped down. "Goddess, are you dizzy? You should have said." She held Buffy's head in her hands.

"No, I'm ow..." She rubbed the back of her head. "I meant remember the night wear." She explained her move

"Oh, I forgot." Madalene looked down at the skimpy outfit and laughed. "Let's get you in bed then I'll work something out." She reached around checking the lump on the slayers skull.

"It's okay I get worse every day on patrol." Buffy felt a little foolish.

"I don't care what you normally do, we're looking after this. Don't argue." Madalene gave her a firm look. "And no you don't normally unexpectedly smack your head off bedroom furniture. She helped Buffy up onto the bed not covered in chocolate.

"No true, I don't normally wrestle the undead in my bedroom." She attempted the joke.

"Especially not while watching x rated movies." Madalene gave her a wide smile.

"No, i think I can honestly say never combined the two. In fact of the two I've done the wrestling." Buffy admitted.

"I don't think I want to know." Madalene bent down fishing out the remote and gave it to Buffy. "You sort it out I'll get ice." She thought for a moment then pulled the sheet from bed wrapping it around herself and grabbing the ice bucket.

Buffy gave a quick nod.

Madalene bravely padded out into the hallway careful to catch the lock on the door so she could get back in. She made it to the ice machine, had the bucket filled up and made it back before the buzzer sounded and the elevator doors slid open. She made her way quickly back into the room and locked the door behind her moving into the bathroom to get a small towel before she moved over to the bed.

"Come here." Madalene folded the ice up into a neat back and eased it behind Buffy's head where the lump was.

"Thanks." Buffy smiled as the witch gently held the ice in place. "I managed to find the off switch." She flicked her eyes up to the TV.

"I have to say I noticed." Madalene blushed lightly. She reached up and rubbed an ice cube against the welt on her chin.

"I thought that kind of thing was you know scrambled." Buffy pointed out.

"I'm going to guess free preview?" The spellcaster shrugged.

"Can I ring down to the main desk and make sure there is a block on it in Dawns room?" Buffy asked worried.

"I think that would be a really good idea." Madalene nodded.

Buffy reached out for the phone, picking it up and briefly taking care of it. Placing the receiver down afterwards, she looked at Madalene with a smile.

"Who'd have thought a night in a hotel could cause this much concern? I sincerely hope Tara and Will appreciate this!" She laughed.

"I think they do." The spellcaster smiled softly. "They're lucky to have a friend as wonderful as you." She pointed out.

"I think, after all they've been through, it's the least I can do." Buffy admitted softly.

"Yes, but you've been through a lot too." Madalene dabbed a cold finger on the end of Buffy's nose. "You need a night off sometimes too."

"Hey I'm getting it." Buffy laughed, "See this," Buffy laid her legs out fully, "Relaxed slayer."

"Good, anything else I can do to make you more relaxed?" Madalene questioned patting the slayer's leg.

"How about that bad predictable movie that we both know is going to end so badly?" Buffy offered.

"We have tissues." Madalene nodded moving up onto the bed on the other side of the slayer.

"Oh I won't cry." Buffy shook her head, "I'm a slayer, we're above such things."

"She...she..." Buffy blubbered loudly, dabbing her cheeks with an already soggy tissue. "She wasn't supposed to die." She grabbed another out of the small tissue box and blew her nose loudly.

"I know..." Madalene blew her nose. "Not, not when he was trying to get home to see her, to tell her he did love her." She sniffled reaching to flick off the credits that were rolling.

"How," Buffy sniffed hard, "How could they be that mean." Buffy asked of the spellcaster pointing at the now black screen.

"I don't know, obviously they've never died before." She shook her head almost a bit angry. "Bastards." She threw a tissue at the screen.

Buffy watched Madalene nodding,

"We should have stuck to the porn." She said her voice serious until she realised what she had said and then a slight smile creased her formerly sad features.

"At least we knew they'd be happy at the end." Madalene pouted as she pulled another tissue out of the box.

"And several times in the middle." Buffy said with an ever growing grin.

"I don't believe you just said that." Madalene started chuckling and then burst into full on laughter as she fell down against the slayer in hysterics.

"I don't either!" Buffy admitted howling, her hand over her stomach that was shaking so much from laughing.

"Porn addict." Madalene laughed more.

"Says the girl who picked the channel!" Buffy squeaked.

"Oh yeah, secretly I'm huge with the porn." Madalene looked up trying to keep a straight face before she dropped again laughing so hard she was having trouble breathing.

"If you ask for a computer hook up in the basement and Willow's laptop goes missing regularly you are so done." Buffy felt her sides ache from the hysterics.

"Why would I do that? I can just raid the stash in your closet." Madalene rolled a little laughing even harder.

"Why would I do that? I can just raid the stash in your closet." Madalene rolled a little laughing even harder.

"Okay, okay true, I have a stitch." Buffy admitted trying to calm down.

"Be careful, I'm already responsible for you having an egg on your head." Madalene took a few breaths.

"Yeah but you rubbed it better." Buffy burst out laughing again.

"I thought we were being good." Madalene giggled watching as Buffy contorted as she laughed.

"Sorry, sorry, that was all me, I mean there's nothing funny about you rubbing my bumps." Buffy coughed and laughed harder.

"Dressed in this? I beg to differ." Madalene looked down at her outfit and laughed with the slayer.

"You look great." Buffy shook her head, calming down a little. "Don't be so scathing about your body."

"I'm pale, I'm bony and I have a big giant scar." Madalene smiled at the slayer. "And yes that's me being nice."

"You're not that pale, you're not bony, and the scar," Buffy stopped laughing completely and looked at Madalene for a long moment, "Your scar just stands as a tribute to all that you have been through." She said softly.

"I didn't know you were Princess Charming." Madalene answered back her voice soft as well.

"I'm not." Buffy shook her head, "I just," She stopped and sighed softly drawing her body up to sit crossed legged on the bed opposite the witch. "I just know that sometimes living is harder than dying." she took a breath, "And that just having blood pumping through your veins and air flowing in and out of your lungs doesn't make you alive."

The Spellcaster didn't say anything for a moment as she listened to the slayer.

"And sometimes things are so bright, it's like this isn't the ground but you're walking on the face of the sun." Madalene reached out slowly and put her hand over Buffy's.

"I'm sorry." Buffy looked down ashamed, "I'm not sure where that came from."

"Buffy, I know our history is different but we still understand something like no one else could." Madalene shook off the apology.

"Tara, which I am eternally grateful for, died and woke up as gently as one could ever manage. I know she has pain and discomfort, but she doesn't know this. She doesn't know the cold." She shivered hard.

"I had to.." Buffy's head remained dipped her body seemed to shrink a little

Wordlessly Madalene shifted up a bit bending one leg up as she settled behind the slayer.

"Tell me." She whispered rubbing her hand down Buffy's back.

"It was so dark, so dark and cold." Buffy's voice was small and childlike as her slender body shook.

"You're not there anymore." Madalene comforted softly as she reached guiding Buffy back so that she could hug the small shaking blonde.

"They didn't think... didn't plan..." Buffy shook her head in the confines of the embrace. "I had to dig... so much dirt, and pain." She wrapped her hands around themselves over and over rubbing hard across the knuckles.

"They didn't think." The spellcaster whispered agreeing. She reached around putting her hands into Buffy splitting them apart and rubbing her thumbs over her knuckles.

"I..." A sob caught in Buffy's throat, "I sometimes wish I had scars." Buffy hugged herself tighter. "To show, so people would know how much it hurts inside." Buffy broke down her small body wracked by hard almost violent sobs.

"You do, you just have to look closer to see them." Madalene held her tight gathering their arms together around Buffy's body.

"So why does nobody see them?" Buffy wept sliding her arms up and literally clinging to the spellcaster.

"Because... sometimes they get blinded... they want to see you as strong and impenetrable... but you're not and that's okay." Madalene soothed rocking her slightly and hugging tighter.

"Don't let go." Buffy whimpered almost silently.

"I'm not." Madalene kept rocking them softly. "I know you see that place when you close your eyes..." She whispered leaning her head close to Buffy's. "I know you shower sometimes just 'cause you feel dirty from it like you can't wash it off. I know Buffy. I know."

Tara felt the bed rocking hard below her as she pushed her head harder back into the pillow behind her head. Her breathing coming out in short hard pants, as her hands running over the pale freckled skin on Willow's back. She pressed her short fingernails lightly into her lovers shoulder blades as her blue eyes flickered closed.

"Ohhhhhhh Tara." Willow swallowed her eyes squeezed shut as their bodies moved against Tara's thigh her lower body rocking hard.

"Yes Sweetie, oh yess." Tara gasped her fingers racking ever so lightly down Willow's spine.

"I love you, I love you..." Willow whispered dipping her head and kissing over soft skin. "Love you so much." She moaned as she opened her eyes looking over Tara's body before her.

For a moment she blinked as her gaze stopped over a bumpy reddish irregularity... the world began rushing by her ears, water turning into fast gusting wind, turning into screaming and then into just a line of high pitched noise.

The change wasn't instant, or obvious, it was subtle and silent, but Tara knew instinctively that something wasn't right. Flicking her eyes open she forced herself to control her breathing and still her movements, releasing the tension in the hands that ran over Willow's back she let them rest soothingly on suddenly slightly chilled skin.

"Willow?" She whispered worried

The redheads pleasure dilated pupils seized smaller making the green of her eyes seem twice as big as it normally would, a hard awkward twitch started in Willow's right shoulder as a fuzzy feeling crawled sickly up the back of her skull.

"Willow sweetie." Tara shifted pushing herself more upright, moving her hands round lightly to Willow's shoulders, easing her back a little so she could look at her.

Willow tried to blink, she tried to concentrate on the voice she could hear in the distance but all she could see was a scar, a scar from a bullet that had killed her Tara.

"Please Willow," Tara's voice took on a slightly panicked edge as she shifted upright even more, aware that her lover was slipping away from her by the second. "Baby, it's okay." She gently brushed her finger tips over Willow's cheek.

Willow tried to open her mouth, tried to say something but she felt her throat closing up.

'Think Tara Damn you think!'

Tara cursed herself as she felt Willow tensing up.

"Willow." Tara cleared her throat and said her lovers name clear. "Willow, listen to me." She continued forcing her voice to come out as calmly as it could.

The redhead kept trying to fight as she felt cold fast breath's flaring in and out of her nose as her left arm started to shake.

"Oh goddess baby what is it?" Tara frowned, her hand sliding up Willow's arm trying to find and massage the spasming muscle.

Willow heard the voice, almost like it was split off somewhere else. She tried to focus her mind, figure out what exactly was happening to her body somewhere far away.

"Seeee..." Her dry throat hissed. "Cur."

Tara wiped a hand over her perspiring forehead as she tried to work out what it was that Willow was saying.

"See?" She frowned "Did you see something? Something that scared you?" She bit her lip anxiously

"Cccccurrrr." The redhead's back started to stiffen as she tried to keep her head from tipping back.

"Cur?" Tara whispered to herself, trying to rack her brains for a translation all the while feeling Willow tense more and more.

"Seeeezzzzzz..." Willow finally couldn't do anymore as she bent back her leg caught under her as she arched up her body shivering.

"Baby!" Tara squeaked, she scrambled out of the bed attempting to ease Willow down and onto her side in a safer position. "Let it go baby." Tara knelt by the edge of the bed, "It's okay, I'm right here, give in." Tara smoothed her hand over and over Willow's hair keeping a careful check on the position of her head and neck.

For a few moments Willow's body spasmed uncontrollably before rather jaggedly her hand came up from her side.

"No." She hissed as she jerked harder.

"Let go Willow, don't fight it, it'll pass just relax." Tara soothed over and over.

"No!" Willow croaked again slamming her hand down on the bed. She sputtered a bit coughing as she fought to swallow the cramp in her throat.

"Yes." Tara whispered, "We can deal with these, I love you, it's okay." The blonde insured that Willow's hair was well out of the way of her mouth and nose.

Green eyes caught blue for a few heartbeats as her body went stiff as a board before they rolled upwards and she went limp.

"It's okay baby, its okay." Tara exhaled hard and closed her eyes, leaning forwards she pressed her lips hard on Willow's cheek. "I love you." She whispered.

Madalene didn't know how long they had been sitting there rocking. She wasn't even sure if it was Buffy's strength or her own that was keeping them moving. Or was it one pushing back, the other pushing forth in tandem that created the gentle rhythm. Closing her eyes she could hear their breathing settling together, one exhaling for the other to inhale.

Everything slowed down, her arms feeling heavy around the slayer until she struggled to open her eyes but the scene changed. Madalene turned quickly trying to get her bearings. It was so dark here, wherever this was. She turned again and felt a tree branch slap against her side.

'A forest.' She noted to herself trying to piece things together somehow. She'd been in a hotel as far as she could remember, trying to comfort Buffy.

"Buffy." The name made things clear as she breathed in and smelled the damp musk of a cemetery.

Blindly she took off into the trees.

With a gasp the slayer felt her own world shift... out of the warmth and comfort that Madalene's arms had offered her into a cold dark place.

"No." She reached up her hands hitting silk in the darkness as she blindly started clawing.

"NOOOO!" She screamed reaching back and punching through the wood so that musky soil trickled in onto her face. She sputtered for a moment feeling the air in the box being used up to suffocate her.

Reluctantly but driven on by a need to survive she pushed up into the dirt clawing at it.

The Spellcaster could hear screaming and what seemed like engines roaring around her in the dark but she ignored everything as she broke out of the tree line.

"Buffy?" She called out scanning around before running over to the only thing in the clearing. As her eyes cleared on the deep lettering she felt her stomach turn.

"Oh goddess no, no you can't be here again." She dropped to her knees and started clawing at the dirt pulling up the sod and throwing it aside frantically.

"BUFFY!" She screamed as she cupped the loose dirt away.

With more effort she dug her hands down into it trying to dislodge sections of it, move anything in order to get down to where she knew the slayer must be. This is what they had been talking about before the world had shifted, this had to be what was somehow going on.

For a moment the ground shifted a little more, then a single hand pressed out of the disrupted soil.

The spellcaster didn't hesitate as she dug her own hand in gripping around Buffy's forearm before she leaned up and used all the body weight she could to pull

Coughing and spluttering the slayer sprawled out on the ground for a moment gasping for clear air.

"You're okay, you're okay." Madalene repeated rather breathlessly as she cleared blonde hair off the slayer's face .

Blinking wildly Buffy pushed and thrashed out at the blurred image that seemed to touching her.

"Buffy, it's me... Madalene." She tried to sooth pulling her hands back but staying close.

"Madalene?" Buffy whispered the name out of her tight throat

"Yes, I'm here... it's okay." Madalene bent down closer in the dim light. "You're not there anymore Buffy, no one can put you there again." She vowed reaching to hold the slayer's arms.

"This isn't really happening is it." The slayer whimpered, she scooted closer to the spellcaster.

"No, no this isn't real. I.. I don't know what this is but it's not real." Madalene gathered her closer her hand going to Buffy's head to shield her as she looked around.

"Feels real" Buffy shivered and quivered in Madalenes arms.

"It's not... nothing here can hurt you." Madalene's voice was firm. "I won't let it, whatever this is... it's not real." She rubbed her hand over Buffy's head not able to find an immediate threat in the trees.

"You're safe, it's okay." She comforted.

"Safe?" The cowering woman whispered the word as if it held little or no meaning to her.

"Safe." She sat down and turned Buffy in her arms. "Look at me... I wasn't here when this really happened... so it can't be real... this can't hurt you again." She fixed hazel eyes with green.

"It can't?" Buffy's voice trembled.

"Whatever this is... whatever is here... they have to go through me." Madalene's voice was strong. "Hear that, I won't let you hurt her." She looked towards the trees as a growling noise started and with a shock Madalene felt her body jump as the world shifted away again.

It took her a moment to realize they were again sitting on the hotel bed.

Buffy too felt her body jerk, and her hazel eyes snapped open

"Buffy?" She questioned feeling Buffy settle against her from the jolt.

"What? Where am I?" Buffy moved her head a little.

"Hotel room, safe." Madalene explained trying to catch up herself, the last thing she wanted to do was have Buffy get more worried.

"Hotel... right." She felt herself catch up with the facts

"Are you okay?" Madalene clutched her hands around Buffy's drawing them up so she could check.

"I... think I must have gone to sleep or something, had a dream." Buffy blinked more and watched Madalene's actions, frowning as she realised what she was doing.

"Only it wasn't a dream was it." She looked up into Madalene's eyes

The spellcaster slowly shook her head.

"I don't know what that was." She admitted softly.

"But I'm right - you were there." Buffy checked.

"Yes." She nodded unnecessarily.

"I'm sorry." Buffy pulled herself up slightly in a ball.

"No." Madalene reached out again hugging her. "You didn't do anything Buffy." She whispered rubbing her hand over Buffy's back.

"I did." Buffy shook her head, "Somehow I took you there, I made you see the.." She stopped and shivered again.

"I don't care about going there... I just ... I just want to take it from you... take the pain." Madalene admitted frowning.

"It's my pain." Buffy shook her head, "I save people from pain Mads, not give it to them."

"I'm not people." The spellcaster's mouth turned into a slight smirk. "So new rules, got it?"

"Now who's the wimp?" Buffy gave a slightly queasy smile the whole experience having made her feel less than great.

"Not you." Madalene shook her head as she reached down for the blankets. "Lie down, the world will stop spinning sooner." She encouraged.

"I promise." Madalene smiled back and kissed her on the forehead as she tucked the comforter in around them.

"Thank you." Buffy whispered, and on instinct curled herself up close to the other woman.

"I won't let anything hurt you." Madalene whispered back.

Willow couldn't remember ever feeling so much pain in every inch of her body. As she turned her head on the pillow it was even as if her hair hurt.

"T-Tara?" Willow whispered easing her aching eyes open.

"Right here." The reply was instant, the blonde was sat cross-legged on the floor by the bed, fully dressed in a baggy shirt and a pair of linen pants. There was a smell of soothing incense in the room and a bowl of now cold water, and a flannel, that she had used just to wipe the sweat and grime off Willow, before she had eased the unconscious red head into one of Xander's over sized hockey jerseys.

"Are you okay?" Willow breathed out trying to push up a bit.

"I'm fine." She pushed up on her knees, pressing closer to the bed "Easy." she stressed.

"What happened?" Willow blinked a few times.

"You don't remember?" Tara drew her finger tips over Willow's forehead lightly.

"We were in bed." Willow tried to piece things in her brain together.

"We were." Tara nodded softly, "You had.." Tara heard herself trip over the word slightly.

"I had an episode didn't I?" Willow frowned hard the move making her jaw hurt.

Tara nodded again, trailing her fingers lightly down the side of Willow's face and eased her fingers along the obviously tensing jaw.

"No, shush. It's okay." She ran her fingertips over and over

"I'm sorry baby... I didn't mean too." Willow apologized sadly.

"Sweetie, listen to me." Tara eased the red heads head slightly to look directly at her, "It's okay." She said slowly and calmly.

"No, no it's not. I'm better, I'm not supposed to do that anymore." Willow painfully turned over on her side to look at Tara.

"You are better, you are so much better, but baby, its not a case of one day poorly, the next day all better." She ensured that her lover never lost eye contact with her.

"I made a fool of myself." Willow blinked her misted eyes.

"How?" Tara asked frowning gently.

"Blacking out, doing who knows what while I had my 'episode'." Willow tried to curl up more.

"Willow," Tara gently prevented Willow curling "Do you love me." She asked pointedly.

"Oh course I do." Willow's eyes darted back to Tara's. "More than anything in the world."

"Do you believe that I love you?" She kept her tone soft but clear.

Willow nodded as best as she could.

"Do you think it's foolish when I stutter, or when I forget something stupid like I'm allergic to shellfish, or that Dawn doesn't like cockroaches?" she asked.

"No." The redhead answered immediately.

"Then how could i possibly, ever, ever think of you, and anything you do that you cannot help as foolish?" Tara soothed.

"I... I think I tried to fight it." Willow reached out her hand for Tara's.

"You did, far too hard." Tara admonished gently, "You probably ache all over." Tara closed her hand around Willow's.

"I passed ache the minute I woke up." Willow admitted.

"Do you want pain killers? Muscle relaxants?" Tara frowned gently, the idea of her lover being in pain causing her heartache.

"Just you to hold me." Willow squeezed her hand.

"Are you sure?" Tara asked gently.

"I just need to feel you near." The redhead whispered.

Tara pushed up from her place and moved round the other side of the bed, and carefully moved the soft frame of cushions she'd erected around her lover to prevent her hurting herself. She then slid onto the bed.

"I'm right here." She whispered.

"I love you." Willow felt her body gathered up and instantly the ache inside her dimmed a bit.

"I love you." Tara confirmed dropping a kiss onto Willow's hair. "It's going to be fine Willow, we're going to be fine."

The End for Now…Grrr... Argggg


End file.
